The rhythm of the streets

MANILA, Philippines -For artists and creative instigators, the street is an inexhaustible source of inspiration, with its graffiti, geometric lines and ever-present denizens asserting their own individuality through fashion and other forms of visual expression. For skateboarders and bicycle enthusiasts, the streets offer infinite possibilities of adventure.

No other shoe has been better designed to take the pressure and match the momentum of the streets than Converse Cons KA-II, the latest collaboration between “America’s Original Sports Company” and its skateboarding ambassador Kenny Anderson.

Back when he was just beginning to be known as the daredevil skateboarder of California in the ’90s, Kenny was already sporting Dr. J’s, Chuck Taylors, One Stars — all Converse brands. Now a skateboarding legend in his own right, Kenny has taken on the opportunity to design a line for Converse with a simple formula: “You take a classic Converse shoe, you make it skatable,” he told the web magazine Complex.

Converse Cons KA-II, Kenny’s second series of skateboarding shoe, is outfitted with drop-in Lunarlon sock-liner that delivers plush, lightweight cushioning, perfect against the bumps and imperfections of the street. Providing a customized fit are the shoe’s memory foam and gusseted tongue. On the outside, Cons’ All Star Traction Rubber outsole is fused with a Flex Rubber Cup Sole for superior board feel. A clean suede or canvas upper, reminiscent of the understated aesthetic of Converse designs, finishes off the look.

“The KA-II skates, with a full board-feel, have the support and durability of a cup sole, and I really like the way the sneaker looks and feels on my feet,” Kenny says. “Even when I’m riding my older, worn-in board, the traction on the sole makes the board feels like brand-new.”

In conjunction with the release of Converse Cons KA-II in the United States as part of the brand’s 2013 fall collection is The Joy Ride, a film that documents Kenny’s journey on a magical bicycle which — as he negotiates through the streets — is pushed by people to propel him forward. The main message of the short film is that you can never be too young or too old to have an adventure on the streets.

“With Converse Cons KA-II, we bolster the present line of designs available in the Philippines,” says Eli Bonsol, Converse Philippines advertising and marketing manager. “With the presence of the Converse flagship store located on the second floor of the New Glorietta Ayala Mall in Makati City, we now offer, aside from Converse staples, one-off and exclusive designs.”

For information, visit www.converse.com.ph and www.facebook.com/ConversePhilippines.