Why the Off-White x Converse Chuck Taylor Release Was Delayed

The Off-White x Converse Chuck Taylor '70 is finally set to release this year, and Converse explains what took so long for the shoe to drop.

How To Get Your Hands On The OFF WHITE x Converse Chuck Taylor
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How To Get Your Hands On The OFF WHITE x Converse Chuck Taylor

Saying Virgil Abloh’s collaboration with Nike on the Off-White “The 10” project was the best collaboration of 2017 is an understatement. It’s probably the greatest execution of a collaboration ever. Although it was labeled The 10—due to it including 10 different sneakers, ranging from the Air Jordan 1 to the Air Presto—only nine of the shoes saw a proper release in 2017. The outlier was the Converse Chuck Taylor ‘70, which saw only a few pairs slip out to the public or to friends of Abloh’s, such as former Louis Vuitton creative director Kim Jones. Now the shoe is set to drop this weekend, and it’s drumming up the hype like the original collection.

The question on everyone’s mind, other than how they can cop a pair, is why did it take so long for the shoes to drop? Was it production issues? Was it a strategic plan to bring energy behind Converse? Was it Abloh himself who held the shoes back?

What makes it more interesting is that Nike and Abloh have since released two new versions of the VaporMax and an Air Jordan 1 that are the sequels to The 10 in the time since it all released last year.

To find out what happened, we reached out to Converse to get an answer, and the response is indicative of Abloh’s work method: One that saw him design over 1,000 different versions of the Off-White x Air Jordan 1 before it was finished.

“Throughout the design and development process, we thoroughly test our products to ensure we deliver highest quality product and experience,” a spokesperson for Converse said in an email. “In that spirit, through the finalization of the Chuck 70 Ten, we made small tweaks while staying true to Virgil’s vision of the reconstructed icon to give our consumers a shoe they would love.”

The changes, however, are very slight, and Converse notes that it's nothing material or worth noting.

The Off-White Chuck Taylor may have been one of the trickiest shoes to execute from the collection. It features a see-through upper, that, more than likely, wasn’t the easiest thing to manufacture, as well as a translucent sole and toe cap.

We also spoke to several independent retailers who operate tier zero accounts, and they couldn’t confirm or deny what caused the Off-White x Converse release to be delayed.

Whatever the case, the shoe is dropping tomorrow at select retailers and massive lines have already started to form. If you don’t have your pair secured by now, your best bet to get the last of The 10 is to pay resale.