Known by many as the “Pope of Pop”, Andy Warhol’s artwork is as relevant today as it was when he first released his creations more than 50 years ago. Andy Warhol (1928-1987) is undeniably best known for his colourful style known as Pop Art, in which he used bright colours to wash over celebrity faces (and much more) to create stunning (expensive) masterpieces. Have you ever noticed a filter on your smartphone’s camera called Pop Art? Yep, that’s a nod to Warhol.
Today, Andy Warhol prints have made it onto T-shirts, bags, cellphone cases, keychains, baby strollers (?!) and—you guessed it!—Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars.
When the limited edition Converse All Star Andy Warhol Collection came about earlier this year through a partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation, the entire Baggins team fell in love. It was a partnership that made sense.
Both Converse and Andy Warhol have stood the test of time and have remained awesome for generations, making them both pop culture icons. The Soup Chucks in particular caught our eye right then and there, but there is more to see and love in the Converse All Star Andy Warhol Collection, such as the black and yellow low tops donning The Velvet Underground album cover’s infamous and somewhat controversial banana:
Converse Chuck Taylor Warhol Low Top Black/White
We also adore these hi tops featuring one of Andy Warhol’s later works, the Statue of Liberty (1986):
Converse Chuck Taylor Warhol Hi Top Black/White
So what makes these Andy Warhol shoes so special? Why is it that we can’t get enough Andy Warhol? On top of Warhol’s distinctive artwork being pleasant to look at, fun to interpret, and stylish to wear, these unique kicks are excellent conversation starters and are a practical way of preserving art. Plus they are more meaningful than simply wearing a photo of a real banana on your feet—that would be crazy! And a postcard with an actual photo of the Statue of Liberty would just be boring.
So yeah, we love what Andy Warhol’s work does to the Converse profile and know you will too —just make sure you know what to tell people when they start that inevitable conversation with you! Here are some helpful hints:
The Story Behind the Banana: The banana featured in the Converse All Star Andy Warhol Collection is the banana from The Velvet Underground’s 1967 debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico. Andy served as the controversial rock band’s manager for a time and lent his designs to the debut album’s jacket.
The original album cover invited fans to peel back part of the banana’s skin to reveal the fruit inside. Nearly 50 years later, there was some legal trouble over who owned the rights to this special piece of rock history, but in 2013 the lawsuit between The Andy Warhol Foundation and The Velvet Underground was settled and the Foundation maintained ownership of the banana’s image.
The Story Behind the Statue of Liberty: The Statue of Liberty found on Converse hi-tops is a reprint of an artwork originally painted by Andy Warhol in 1986. The timing in which this painting was completed was significant, as 1986 marked the centennial of the Statue of Liberty's arrival in the United States. The painting was completed just one year before Andy Warhol died at the age of 58.
To pair with your new pair of Andy Warhol Converses, might we suggest the original Andy Warhol Statue of Liberty (1986) painting to hang on your wall? At an estimated value of $2 million, it’s a steal!
Not flush with cash? Another option is making your own Warhol-inspired Pop Art from your own images using any of these fine Andy Warhol Pop Art YouTube demonstrations, or you can just use that camera app we talked about earlier to get the same effect – boom, done.
That’s it, then. Two neat stories, two neat pieces of art, two awesome styles of Converse. What a stylish pairing! And now you’ll know just what to say when someone compliments your Andy Warhol Converse (in addition to telling them you got them at Baggins)!
Before you go, check out the rest of the Converse All Star Andy Warhol Collection available at Baggins right now, and get your pairs before these limited edition shoes are gone!
“If you're not trying to be real, you don't have to get it right. That's art.” – Andy Warhol