The “Chuck Taylor All-Star” sneaker is made by the American shoe brand Converse.
The shoe began as a basketball sneaker, not a fashion item. Converse introduced its early “Non-Skids” basketball shoe in 1917, using a canvas upper and rubber sole. Basketball player and salesman Charles “Chuck” Taylor joined the company in 1921 and suggested design improvements for flexibility and ankle support.
Taylor promoted the shoe across the United States through basketball clinics and appearances. His signature was added to the ankle patch in the early 1930s, creating the name Chuck Taylor All Star. The sneaker became a dominant basketball shoe before losing ground to newer athletic designs in the 1970s.
Its later life as casual footwear made the Chuck Taylor a global style icon. High-top and low-top versions, canvas and leather editions, and countless colors now exist. A frequent misconception is that Chuck Taylor was the original inventor: he was primarily an athlete, salesman, promoter, and design influence. Converse has been a Nike subsidiary since 2003.