Sandeep PurewalFootwear legends Converse CONS have collaborated with Polar Skate Co. for their first ever Fall 2014 Footwear and Apparel collection. Polar Skate Co. are an up and coming Swedish company. Since their formation in 2010, they have established themselves as a leading fashion icon in the global skateboarding scene. The company has two aims: to continue to push the boundaries of skateboarding culture, and to approach the industry with a sense of uniqueness and creativity.
In 2009, Converse launched Converse CONS, the brand’s innovative skating program. Their aim was to create a stylish range of clothing and footwear inspired by the creative skating scene. Polar Skate Co. was founded by Pontus Alv, an ambassador of Converse CONS. Alv designed the collection in accordance to what he himself would like to wear: “We’ve wanted to create a superclean Chuck Taylor Pro in suede right from the beginning of working together. They skate really well, they look great and they last.”
The seven-piece collection is able to subtly capture the essence of both brands. Converse originated on the court, and evolved for the street over time. This sense of functional style has been effortlessly combined with Polar Skate Co.’s cutting edge aesthetics and distinct logo. The collection features CONS CTAS Pro-sneakers, available in hi-top and ox silhouettes. In addition, the range includes four tasteful graphic t-shirts.
The Pro-sneakers stay true to the brands minimalist Scandinavian aesthetic: available in black, natural and navy suedes, the white midsoles and toecaps truly enable the colour to stand out. Furthermore, the leather heel strips and ‘happy/sad’ faces add a touch of refined playfulness to the collection. The range is certainly able to tick the durability box: the sneakers feature premium abrasion-resistant suede uppers, a multi-density Lunarlon sockliner for comfort and protection, traction rubber vulcanized outsoles and waxed laces.
The Converse CONS x Polar Skate Co. collection is available in limited quantities right now. The sneakers are priced at £65 for the ox and £70 for the hi-top, and are available at stockists such as Flatspot, Slam and Consortium. As Pontus Alv himself said, ‘Inspire others to inspire themselves’. I’m sure we’ll all be feeling pretty inspired after bagging ourselves a pair of these sneakers.