Athletes and fans of athletic footwear are well familiar with Converse sneakers, whose logo today symbolizes the brand’s rich history. The company produces high-quality athletic footwear, reflecting the Converse logo, which is among the most popular and recognizable emblems in the world.
Converse: Brand overview
Founded: | February 1908 |
Founder: | Marquis Mills Converse |
Headquarters: | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Website: | converse.com |
Meaning and History
The company, created by entrepreneur Marquis Mills Converse, is named after him, which is reflected in the logo. The brand boasts one of the most recognizable elements of visual identification, which appeared in 1963.
Overall, the brand has six logo variants, although initially, it did not have a constant label. Instead, the manufacturer used the inscription in different styles until 1932, when it launched the All-Star shoe line. It gained incredible popularity, so the company switched to the Star sign. In 1962, the company decided to create a permanent logo based on the star.
What is Converse?
Converse is an American shoe company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It was formed in Malden in 1908 as a family business. Its founder is entrepreneur Marquis Mills Converse, after whom the company is named. It is a well-known manufacturer of athletic shoes, particularly fabric sneakers in various colors. The company sells its products through a network of over 100 stores.
1963 – 1977
The debut logo looks modest and minimalistic. It’s just a rectangle with the word “Converse” in lowercase. In front of it is a miniature five-pointed black star – a sign of excellence and the highest quality of products. The background is light gray, the letters dark, and of uniform size.
1977 – 2003
During this period, an emblem predominated by a star was used. Designers enlarged it and placed it in the center of a square with rounded corners. It is entirely white, so it stands out against the black background. Beneath it, developers placed the text part of the logo – the company name. The word is written in bold sans serif font in uppercase – except for the letter “n,” which is left lowercase. The typeface is Sans-Serif, reminiscent of the sharp edges and thickened lines of Display Pump.
2003 – 2007
2007 marked the arrival of a new trademark. Now, the black five-pointed star was placed inside a circle with a white background. In addition, the central element was made small, creating the impression that there is a lot of free space around it, and it floats in it. Underneath the graphic part is the inscription “Converse.” Designers still left the letter “n” lowercase and the rest of the letters – uppercase. Only the font changed: now the word is executed in a thin font, identical to Zoria Bold. The space between letters increased.
2007 – 2011
In 2007, the company again redesigned the logo. For visual identification, it chose a version created by artist Jim Labadini in the 1970s. The new label features a classic black star placed next to a chevron in the form of an open triangle from two wide strips. The feature of this version is that the central element is located on the side, so it seems that the star “stands” on one ray. The manufacturer’s name, as usual, is at the bottom. The letter style is identical to previous versions.
2011 – 2017
This period is characterized by the emergence of a more progressive logo, meeting fashionable trends and practicality. It compactly combines the graphic and text parts: the five-pointed star is elegantly incorporated into the letter “O.” This combination appeared in additional versions and became recognizable worldwide. It turned a simple label into an iconic brand. The company name and artists were enlarged and placed on a white background.
2017 – today
The redesign returned to the 1970s logo, which became the main marking in the 2010s. The changes are quite insignificant: the chevron and star were reduced in size, increasing their color to charcoal-black. Also, designers used a different font. Now, it is closer to the classic version of Typold Extended Black, in which all letters are in one case (in this case, uppercase). This version is practical as it looks equally good in advertising booklets, fabric labels, and similar tags.
Converse: Interesting Facts
Converse is a famous shoe company from the United States that makes the Chuck Taylor All-Stars, shoes loved by people worldwide.
- Starting Out: Converse was founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts, by Marquis Mills Converse. At first, they made rubber shoes for work.
- First Basketball Shoes: In 1917, Converse made the All-Star shoes for basketball, which was a fairly new sport at the time.
- Chuck Taylor Joins: A basketball player named Chuck Taylor joined Converse in 1921. He helped improve the shoes, and they even put his name on them.
- Olympics Appearance: The USA basketball team wore All-Stars in the 1936 Olympics, the first time basketball was in the games.
- Helping in World War II: Converse made shoes and clothes for the military during the war.
- Becoming a Symbol: Not just for sports, the All-Stars became popular with rock stars, skateboarders, and people who like fashion.
- Lots of Choices: Converse makes shoes in many styles and materials, like leather and suede, which keeps them popular.
- Working with Others: Converse has collaborated with designers and artists to create cool and unique shoes.
- Joining Nike: In 2003, Nike bought Converse for about $305 million, helping Converse reach more people worldwide.
- Caring for the Planet: Converse has started using recycled materials to make some shoes more environmentally friendly.
- First Shoe for a Non-Athlete: They made a shoe named after Jack Purcell, a badminton player, showing Converse is more than just about sports.
- Super Popular: Converse has sold over a billion pairs of the All-Stars, making them some of the most popular shoes ever.
Converse isn’t just about sports shoes anymore; it’s a brand that stands for being yourself and showing off your style. The Chuck Taylor All-Stars are a big part of why people love Converse.
Font and Colors
The five-pointed star occupies a central place in the Converse brand logo. It is present in every version of the trademark – as a designation of premium-class goods. Initially, this symbol was located to the left of the name. Above it were two dots in a row – it was located in a square with rounded corners or a circle. In the 2011-2017 version, the star was combined with the letter “O,” using it instead of the intraliteral space. In the current emblem, which debuted in 2007, the star is slightly tilted to the right and stands on one ray.
The brand name is written in a simple sans-serif font. The color combination is monochromatic: black color symbolizes integrity, elegance, and perfection, while white symbolizes charm and purity.
Converse color codes
Black | Hex color: | #000000 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 0 0 0 | |
CMYK: | 0 0 0 100 | |
Pantone: | PMS Process Black C |
FAQ
What is the Converse symbol?
The key symbol of the Converse brand is the five-pointed star. It accompanies every pair of branded shoes. But this sign was not always present on the products: it had existed since 1963 when the manufacturer finally decided to switch to a unique emblem, and before that time, there was no constant symbol. The star was taken from the popular All-Star sneaker line, released in 1932.
Why is the Converse logo on the outside?
If the Converse symbol is on the outside, it means only one thing – you are facing a counterfeit. This brand marks its products from the inside, so the round patch with the five-pointed star sign cannot be located on the outside of the original pair of shoes.
Why does my Converse have a large logo?
On original Converse sneakers, the large logo is located on the back of the sole – right in the middle of the heel area. On the original, it has the designation “ALL STAR” with a star in the center or “Converse All Star” (on newer models released after 2007). But a different size, mismatched shape, inaccurate labeling, and other errors indicate that the shoes are counterfeit.
Does Converse have a logo on both sides?
No, Converse shoes do not have logos on both sides – around the black star, the emblem is only on the inside. Therefore, the right sneaker is located to the left of the lace and on the left – to the right. Other variants indicate a counterfeit.