Over the years, Converse has evolved from winterised rubber-soled shoes to athletic footwear to streetwear sneakers. It’s rare for any brand to last over a century but this American shoe company has been doing it in style by adapting to their market’s everyday needs. Their iconic sneaker, Chuck Taylor All Star, or simply called “Chucks,” has been their all-time bestseller because of its utilitarian yet sleek design.
But Converse is not all about aesthetics and functionality. They choose different creative spirits and artists who imbibe the same values as they do. The series of their campaigns with influencers and artists marked its role in arts and culture.
The Revival of the “Bolt-Chevron”
This year, they’ve chosen millennial R&B icon, Kiana “KianaVee” Valenciano. The newest social media star, Kiana Valenciano, given its relationship with the brand, Converse VLTG seemed to be in line with Kiana’s taste and nature. Pronounced as “voltage,” it’s a female-focused collection within the basketball universe. VLTG was originally launched in 1995 and was remembered because of its dynamic “bolt-chevron” upper pattern. It’s now making a comeback in 2019 with a collection that ups the attitude with high-contrast chevron designs inspired by the ’90s-era basketball patterns. Converse VLTG aims to strengthen its connection to sneaker culture and basketball.
KianaVee for VLTG
The VLTG is not only for basketball players or athletes though. The mold was broken when Kiana entered the picture and this is what Converse aims for. They want to build a brand that bridges the gap between athletic footwear and smart-casual shoes. If you’re feeling edgy, you could even sport this at the red carpet or formal functions.
Kiana has been in the radar of Converse for years as the brand is committed in searching personalities who are aligned with their philosophy and ethos. They want someone who is talented, fashionably chic, and unapologetically cool. The R&B singer perfectly fits the bill.
Kiana as a Singer
She has been singing since the tender age of seven, and now, the singer songwriter has been making waves in the music industry by launching singles such as “Circles” and “See Me.” Kiana doesn’t sing or make music because of fame though. She uses her talent to express herself, inspire and empower others. It’s also her outlet, especially when she’s going through tough times. She shared as well how she sometimes accidentally composes a song, “I knew that I had to write something because I just felt it. Alright, you’re in this moment. There is a song that needs to come out of you. But what is it? And, so, I wrote like on a post-it. Like this is I wanna do, this is exactly where my head is [at] right now. And like 30 minutes later, I had song, and I’m recording it next week.” If there are no post-its around, she will grab her phone and record on Voice Note. Currently, she has hundreds of Voice Notes which are mostly one-liners that are waiting to be turned into the next masterpiece.
Kiana as a Fashion Icon and as a Person
KianaVee is also a known fashion icon as her style ranges from street wear to minimalist chic. She has the license and the certificate to be one because she’s a graduate of Raffles Design Institute and took short-term design courses at Central Saint Martins in 2015. Kiana put her styling prowess in action when she teamed up with visual artists Daryl Feril and Ken Samudio where they built a pop-up store called Little White Box. She is unapologetically cool in a sense that she never gives up and keeps moving forward no matter what life throws at her. She experienced heartaches and disappointments but she always stands tall and strong.
These are the reasons why Kiana is chosen for Converse VLTG. Or perhaps, the VLTG is made for Kiana, from it’s straightforward colors—simply black and white—to its zig-zag lines which are very bold yet refined. It also has reflective material that makes it stand out. It has three variants, namely the VLTG MID, Chuck 70 VLTG, and the classic Chuck Taylor All Star VLTG. This gives everyone a freedom to experiment and electrify the styling game a bit. And it only takes a pair of sneakers like VLTG to liven up anyone’s style.
This is what the sneaker industry needs considering its saturated market where every design almost looks the same. The VLTG is originally created to be a shoe that would stand on and off the court because of its zig-zag graphics and reflective materials. And with Kiana Valenciano as their brand representative, the future of Converse and the sneaker industry are bright and electrifying.
Get to know more about the new Converse VLTG collection and R&B singer KianaVee in this short clip:
https://www.facebook.com/megamagazine/videos/838490029886129/
