Converse Celebrates The Creativity And Self-Expression Of Chuck Taylor Fans With Global "Made by you" Campaign

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass., March 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, CONVERSE Inc. announces the global launch of "Made by you" - a landmark brand campaign celebrating fans of the brand who have been expressing themselves and their creativity in Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers for nearly 100 years. For the Spring 2015 campaign, Converse scoured the globe to collect beloved and distinctly personal Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers, each of which tells a story of transformation from blank canvas to self-portrait of their owner.

"'Made by you' originated from a simple human truth – we all want to be our true, authentic self in this world," said Ian Stewart, Vice President of Global Marketing. "Fans of Chuck Taylor are the ones who have made Chuck Taylor an iconic badge of creative self-expression. It's time we celebrated them."

"Made by you" is a global celebration highlighting Converse Chuck Taylor All Star, the only sneaker defined by those who wear them. Converse has curated a collection of Chuck Taylor All Star portraits, showcasing endless diversity and self-expression of individuals past and present who choose to wear Chuck Taylor All Star – from musicians to artists, skaters to fashionistas, the known to the unknown. Their portraits offer a contemporary lens into the distinctly unique worlds they inhabit.

Portraits collected from the likes of international icons like Patti Smith, Andy Warhol, Futura, Jefferson Hack, Sayo Yoshida, Kate Lanphear and Glenn O'Brien will be featured alongside portraits from everyday Chuck Taylor All Star wearers, and used in global exhibitions, which will turn the city streets of New York to Shanghai to Rio into art galleries. Additionally, the "Made by you" campaign seeks to highlight the unique creative spirit of local communities and subcultures with hyper-local portrait exhibitions celebrating the diversity of self-expression inherent in cultural neighborhoods throughout the world.

"Made by you" is a true celebration of creative individuals, their stories and their sneakers. Whether they are hand painted, covered in mud or worn out with holes, each Chuck Taylor All Star portrait tells a deeply personal story of the transformation from a white, black, red or navy sneaker into a remarkable piece of art. However worn, customized, modified or pristine, the portraits demonstrate the vast potential of an ultimate blank canvas.

Since its debut in 1917, the Chuck Taylor All Star has become one of the world's most legendary and iconic sneakers. Fans, artists and musicians first adopted the ubiquitous Chuck Taylor All Star as a rebellious badge of creativity. "Made by you" not only celebrates the people who have made the Chuck Taylor more than a sneaker, but also seeks to unleash their continued creative expression around the globe.

"Made by you" is a multi-channel global campaign and includes activations from the streets and stores to online and in social media, including launch exhibitions in New York City, London, Beijing, and Mexico City, as well as offering consumers the ability to participate at a host of pop-up portrait studios at Converse retail locations and events around the world.

For more information please visit media.converse.com.

About Converse
Converse Inc., based in N. Andover, Massachusetts, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NIKE, Inc. Established in 1908, the Converse brand has built a reputation as "America's Original Sports Company"™ and has been associated with a rich heritage of legendary shoes such as the Chuck Taylor® All Star® shoe, the Jack Purcell® shoe and the One Star® shoe. Today, Converse offers a diverse portfolio including lifestyle men's, women's and children's footwear, apparel and accessories. Converse product is sold globally by retailers in over 160 countries and through 87 company-owned retail locations in the U.S. For more information please visit media.converse.com.

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SOURCE CONVERSE Inc.