New Converse ‘CX’ Line Improves Sneaker Fit, Form and Function
Three classic Converse silhouettes get an innovative upgrade.
Converse is reimagining its sneakers’ core components with a slew of new materials collectively dubbed “CX.”
The two-letter designation dates back to 1915. Company founder Marquis Converse, who at the time headed an eponymous rubber company, introduced a premium line of products denoted by a “CX” logo. Each featured an early iteration of the of the triple-thread pattern that would go on to be used on early Converse models like the Big Nine and, eventually, the Chuck Taylor All Star.
Today, CX refers to what the Nike-owned brand calls a “toolkit of materials that will transform the way Converse footwear is made,” the goal being to improve fit, form, sizing and function.
That “toolkit” includes the following innovations.
- CX stretch canvas: A new material innovation that adapts to a wearer’s foot and enables easy on-off wearability.
- CX foam: A pairing of a single-density PU insole and lightweight phylon midsole, which boosts impact absorption to maximize long-lasting comfort.
- New outsole design: CX foam is supported by a new rubber outsole design that provides flexibility and improved durability.
Three takes on classic Converse silhouettes will be used to showcase the new technology. A high-top All Star Disrupt CX gets an exaggerated terraced orange heel element, and a high-top Chuck Taylor All Star CX gets the new stretch canvas, foam and transparent foxing. The low-top “Chuck Taylor Disrupt CX” slip-on also features the same stretch canvas and foam.
The All Star Disrupt CX will arrive immediately, first in a collaborative form by Japaneses designer TakahiroMiyashita TheSoloist. Both a blacked- and whited-out version will debut at the label’s Spring 2020 show in Paris on March 12.
The All Star Disrupt CX will then hit Converse’s website in multiple colorways on March 19. Dates for the releases of the other Chuck Taylor All Star CX and Chuck Taylor CX slip-on haven’t been announced, but expect them to drop shortly after the All Star Disrupt CX.
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