The Converse Star Player Returns to Starting Lineup
The may have been a solid scorer on the hardwood, but the model is a street MVP in 2023. A spiritual successor to the game-breaking the Star Player 76 is poised to become one of the most versatile options in the vast Converse archive. Join us as we welcome back the Star Player to the starting lineup.
All Eyes on the Star Player
Taking its cues from the All Star, the Star Player first appeared in the 1970s as the ‘Star and Chevron’.
Of course, the Chevron has long served as a guiding light for the Converse catalogue. Originally debuting in 1975 via the All Star Pro Leather, the classic logo was one of the more complex manoeuvres for the Boston imprint.
‘We were asking the question, “How do we incorporate the new logo onto our icons?”’ says Samuel Smallidge, archive manager at Converse. ‘There are two iterations of the shoe: one has the stripe across the toe, which, I think, originally appeared in a pamphlet. But then it didn’t appear in our product catalogues. It was almost like an experiment.’
Smallidge thinks different versions of the logo may have appeared in a special store release, although it’s hard to pinpoint the specific historical details. Because product lead times were so short in the 1970s, it’s much more likely that a new product could hit store shelves without the requisite years of planning that’s typical for modern releases.
Shining a spotlight on the Star Chevron was pivotal for Converse during the 1970s. Wayne Monte ‘Tree’ Rollins, a defensive stalwart for the Atlanta Hawks, clung stubbornly to the classic Chuck model – long after his rivals had transitioned to more contemporary silhouettes like the Pro Leather. The challenge for Converse was to implement the Chevron so Tree could continue stuffing shots in the classic Chuck.
‘In the late 70s and 80s, we came out with what I believe is called the All Star 2, which was essentially just a heavier canvas,’ says Smallidge. ‘It played off the heritage of the NBA and featured that kind of Star Chevron look.’
The All Star 2 was rebranded as the Star Player in the early 2000s.
The Stars Align
Today, the Star Player is equipped with all the shiny new tech from Converse’s R&D team. Complete with orthoLite cushioning and breathable, mesh lining for all-day comfort, the Star Player also extols its hardwood pedigree, ensuring that it’s destined to become the Swiss Army knife of the Converse courtside catalogue.
In addition to fusing Chuck Taylor All Star design DNA with a sporty feel, the silhouette comes in a barrage of colourways that reference its storied athletic history and more contemporary, lifestyle-oriented position, resulting in neutral palettes that can pair with any ‘fit. Much like the Chuck 70 striking a chord between both casual and fashion-centric audiences, the Star Player is the embodiment of ‘positionless basketball’ – it can play anywhere.
An understated low-top constructed with crisp cotton canvas uppers and a cushioned collar, the Star Player is emblematic of the slimmed-down, refined aesthetic on fire in the sneakersphere of late, as sneakerheads drop the extra carbs loaded onto chunkier silhouettes in recent years. With versatile, minimalist options de rigueur in 2023, the Star Player finds itself in the starting lineup yet again. And it’s ready to score big buckets in the style department.
A perfect lifestyle staple, the Converse Star Player 76 is ready to shine in any rotation in 2023.