Converse’s new era has two faces: Karina and Matt Champion lead the next chapter
Karina and Matt Champion front two very different takes on the brand’s evolving sneaker language
Converse has never been particularly interested in standing still. For a sneaker brand built around one of the most recognizable silhouettes in footwear, its latest lineup makes that point clear by looking in two directions at once.
Leading the new chapter are Karina of Aespa and Matt Champion, two artists with distinctly different approaches to style and creativity. Karina represents Converse’s more forward-looking side, while Matt Champion taps into the imperfect, nostalgic character of its archives.
As Converse’s newest global ambassador, Karina makes her debut in the Chuck 70 X and Run Star Crush. The Chuck 70 X gives the familiar Chuck a more refined treatment with premium materials, dual-star detailing, an updated leather patch and subtly aged finishes. The Run Star Crush takes a more dramatic route, exaggerating the classic through a sculptural platform sole and bold proportions.
Together, the two silhouettes show how the Chuck can move beyond its familiar proportions without losing what makes it recognizable.
Matt Champion, meanwhile, takes the opposite approach with the Chuck Taylor Throwback. Inspired by the raw energy of 1990s street style, the silhouette leans into the quirks of vintage Chucks rather than smoothing them out. Oversized eyelets, fat laces, saturated colors, an intentionally off-center Chuck patch and irregular foxing tape give it a deliberately lived-in character.
It’s a reminder that sometimes the best way to make a classic feel fresh is to let it look a little imperfect.
That contrast is what makes the latest Converse lineup particularly interesting. Karina’s silhouettes push the Chuck toward what comes next, while Matt Champion’s Throwback digs into the details that made it an enduring streetwear staple in the first place.
The Chuck 70 X will be available in Converse stores starting August 28, 2026.
Converse is available in Powerplant mall, Araneta Gateway mall, select Ayala Malls, SM Malls, Robinsons Department Stores. For more information, visit www.converse.ph.
