Both of these collections are still clearly Converse, but in a more muted colour spectrum with plenty of premium features that boost the longevity of the shoes. The sleek styles presented in the Jack Purcell and John Varvatos Premium Converse Lines make many of them more appropriate for extended wear and dressier occasions than regular Converse.
Let’s take a look, shall we? Starting with the newest additions to the Converse Jack Purcell Signature Sneaker collection. The Converse Jack Purcell Signature Low Top Inked/Inked/White just oozes springtime, doesn’t it? The buttery suede exterior is pre-broken-in, so you’ll fall in love from the first wear.
Going a bit darker, the Converse Jack Purcell Jack Peached Textile Black/Black/Charcoal is going outside the usual Jack Purcell box with its non-white sole. The darker tones of this pair makes them more like a dress shoe than an athletic shoe, particularly with the suede rather than leather outer. Don’t they just look soft to the foot touch?
You can bet they are available in additional colours as well. We love the colourful appeal of the Converse Jack Purcell Jack Peached Textile Navy/Navy/Black, this time with a black sole:
Below is yet another shake up to the line: the Converse Jack Purcell Jack Rubberized Paint Surplus Green/Dark Navy/White. This pair of premium Converse also goes outside the usual Jack Purcell box with its updated canvas exterior. Still premium, still Jack Purcell, but a little bit more vegan.
Who Was Jack Purcell?
Athlete and fashion designer all in one, Jack Purcell was a Canadian world champion badminton player who set out to improve one of the main tools he needed for success on the courts. In 1935, the heyday of his career, Jack designed a canvas and rubber badminton sneaker for the B.F. Goodrich Company of Canada to provide more protection and support on badminton courts.
In 1972, Converse purchased the trademark rights to Jack Purcell sneakers and transformed them from an athletic-primary shoe, into more of a multipurpose, daily-use shoe. Converse Jack Purcells are similar in appearance to Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars, but can be distinguished by their signature “smile” that appears across the toe, their clean side profile, and their hand-written-signature-style logo at the heel.
The Benefits of the Jack Purcell Line
Premium Converse Jack Purcell sneakers boast plenty of enhanced features and benefits over traditional Converses, including:
* Ortholite footbeds with embedded Nike Zoom Air Technology that provides ultra-responsive cushioning and long-lasting comfort in the Signature line
* A stronger, two-ply duck canvas inspired by military specifications
* Higher moulded foxing for a more modern look
* Lightweight herringbone outsoles that improve traction
* Winged tongues that add durability and stay in place
* Premium textiles to keep feet warm and protected from the elements available in the Signature line
The Converse Jack Purcell Low Top Black/White is an example of the design at its most iconic:
And here is the same style in white, which you’ll probably easily recognize in the
Converse Jack Purcell Low Top White/White:
And Now It’s On to John…
Another line of premium Converse kicks are brought to us by a man named John Varvatos, a high-end men's fashion designer known for his edgy rock 'n' roll style. He partnered up with Converse in 2001, bringing a burnished and distressed look to the classic Converse style.
For the perfect example of this, we wish to introduce you to the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Mini Stud John Varvatos Hi Top Black/Beluga. The premium leather upper is speckled with industrial-style, mini-metal studs, and features a leather star-centred ankle patch, brushed metal eyelets, and distressed off-white rubber toe caps with signature clear rubber outsoles. These show-stoppers won’t go unnoticed—trust us.
Another equally awesome style brought to you by John Varvatos is the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star John Varvatos Painted Textile Double Zip Dark Olive/Beluga/Turtledove. Fit for the stage, any wearer of this slick shoe will appreciate the prominent zippers on both the inside and outside panels. They are as decorative as they are functional.
All of the sweet kicks you see here represent only a small percentage of the many styles of Converse on offer at Baggins right now. Check out the rest of the Baggins Converse Collection to see what else we have in store. From men’s to women’s, to children’s styles—premium and otherwise—we know you’ll be wowed by the extensive collection we’ve been building for nearly five decades.