Converse 'Chucks' Get First Redesign in a Century

If a sneaker can be iconic, then the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star qualifies. In a move that loyal fans will either embrace as long overdue or view as sacrilege, the shoe is receiving its first construction update since debuting 98 years ago. It's all in the name of comfort. The updated sneaker is made of durable Tencel canvas, as opposed to the cotton kind, with higher-tech shock absorption in Nike Lunarlon for the footbed. There's foam padding inside at the ankle, non-slip padded tongues, and perforated micro-suede liners along the interior sides.

For the exterior, the familiar circle patch is embroidered on, and eyelets will be colored to match the shoe. In addition, the sole is slightly higher than traditional Chucks. The easily recognizable rubber toe cap will remain. The new shoe goes on sale next week in black, white, red, and blue. For those in the "sacrilege" camp, Gizmodo has some calming words: "Before you feel outraged about Nike's shoe technology invading your classic Chucks, it’s important to remember that Nike actually bought Converse back in 2003 after it went bankrupt. So without the swoosh, Chucks wouldn’t actually still exist." (More Converse stories.)