Ibn Jasper and Converse Reconnect for Racing-Inspired One Star Ox Skate Shoes
Alluding to Converse’s history in American motorsports.
Following his laceless take on the Pro Leather silhouette in 2019, master barber and designer Ibn Jasper reunites with Converse for two motorsport-inspired takes on the classic One Star Ox skate shoes.
The concept for the shoes originated from Jasper’s favorite television series, “Overhaulin,” in which mundane and junky cars are refurbished into unique customs. “When Converse let me know that they wanted me to work one a One Star, I immediately thought of Muscle Cars as my inspiration to “modify” the shoe”, Jasper said. “I took all of that…and then combined it with a Chip Foose style “Resto-Mod” process of designing the shoe…”One of the things that stuck with me so much about Chip Foose is how much attention he pays to bumpers when he’s rebuilding a car. He’s super meticulous about it. I am the same way with the bumpers on vulcanized shoes, so, that’s the connection.” Uppers are dressed in durable tumbled leather panels with subtle snakeskin accents across the tongue and heel counter. Tire pressure indicators are printed above the midsoles and racing flag motifs are featured on the tongue tabs, alluding to Converse’s history in American racing. Chord laces are secured via nylon eye stays, and extended texturized outsoles make the One Star even more skateable. “The way I look at it is, cars and shoes are vehicles and if you can take a regular car and turn it into a high-performance race car, then you can also take a regular shoe and turn it into a high-performance shoe.”
“Skateboarding and motorsports are actually the same, if you think about it”, he told HYPEBEAST when asked about why he wanted to merge the realms of skate and motorsports. “Skaters have to destroy the equipment to make the equipment perform to its limits. Race car drivers do the same thing, they literally destroy the car to push it to its performance limitations. The mentality of flying down the street, hitting turns, jumping gaps and avoiding obstacles is all the same. You have to be able to see ahead and anticipate what will happen and how you will move.”
The Ibn Jasper x Converse One Star in “Black/White/Spectra Yellow” and “White/Black” will be available at the Converse website and select dealers on May 20 for $150 USD.
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Elsewhere in footwear, the Nike 3.0 Offline Mule is arriving in “Arctic Orange.”
