Comme des Garçons x Chuck Taylor All Star High 'Play'

Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo is one of the most prolific fashion designers of all time. Aside from her Comme des Garçons collections, she has had numerous sneaker collaborations over the years. One of the most outstanding of these collaborations involves her different iterations of work modifying and styling up the Converse Chuck Taylor with her sub-label Comme des Garçons PLAY. Kawakubo’s first iteration of his Converse Chuck Taylors came about in 2009 when she modified the original by stripping back its contrast stitching. Six years later, in 2015, she took the All Star Chuck 70s as her template and created a shoe so beloved that it has been re-released every year since. 

The most immediately recognizable thing in shoes from the Comme des Garçons PLAY line is their heart and eyes logo, originally conceived and created by Filip Pagowski. Unlike the original 2009 version, however, the 2015 version and every version thereafter has moved away from the original minimalist philosophy that inspired Kawakubo to start this line of collaborations. The Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star 70s Hi Comme des Garçons PLAY harks back to the classic 70s Chuck Taylor style but with a high-top collar that snugly hugs the ankles and a black upper, white laces and a white sole and toe cap.