Converse is starting 2009 off on the right foot with the first installment of the 1HUND(RED) Artists footwear series. Converse enlisted 100 artists from the worlds of music, art and fashion to design a shoe using one of the world’s best blank canvases (the Chuck Taylor All Star) with the specific goal of fighting Aids in Africa.
This Spring, Converse will release a few of the at least 100 creations including collaborations with U2 guitarist The Edge, fashion designers Basso and Brooke and New York based Korean born artist Roestarr.
However two of what are sure to be the most popular designs come from Santa Monica, CA based humanitarian Bobby Shriver and Lupe Fiasco. Shriver’s design was inspired by his desire to want a shoe he could wear with his red Emperio Armani tux. Ironically the black patent leather with crushed red velvet shoe first made an impression on the public when Lupe Fiasco wore them during last year’s Glow in the Dark tour.
The shoe Lupe designed is inspired by the written word in newsprint, it bears the familiar phrase (appearing in French around the shoe’s midsole) “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” The Lupe designed shoe will be available next month for $80.00 at converse.com and select retailers and Shriver’s patent leather design will go for $100.00 and will hit shelves in April. 10% of net retail sales from both shoes go to the Global Fund.
If the artist designs don’t move you and you think you can do better, Converse offers the capability to give consumers a platform to express their originality with the MAKE MINE RED option on www.converseone.com with 15% of the net retail sales of these shoes going to the Global Fund as well.
Lupe Fiasco's Converse sneaker
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