Honda has partnered with Converse for a special edition run of the American sneaker brand’s famous Chuck Taylor All Star shoe in celebration of the Japanese manufacturer’s 75th anniversary.
Pedants will argue that actually Honda started in 1946 by modifying generator engines from the Japanese Imperial Army to work as motors on bicycles, but Honda Motor Company was not incorporated until 1948.
Since its origins, Honda has grown into the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer, and is one of the most iconic brands in the transport industry. From its legendary 1980s CR500 works motocross bikes, to winning AMA national titles with iconic names such as Jeremy McGrath and Ricky Carmichael in the 1990s and 2000s; and from beginning the Japanese interest in Grand Prix motorcycle racing to becoming the dominant force of the final decade of the 500cc World Championship, and of the first years of the four-stroke MotoGP era, Honda has always found itself at the forefront of competitive motorcycling. With legendary production models such as the Fireblade, Transalp (now revived), and RC30 - to name but a very small few - Honda has continuously managed to simultaneously keep itself at the front of motorcycle culture.
Hence its decision to collaborate with Converse - one of the heaviest cultural hitters of the last 50 or 60 years - to mark the 75-year point from that initial incorporation in 1948.
Certainly, the products of the partnership are beautiful. Two different colourways are available, with both prominently featuring the brand’s famous ‘Gold Wing’ logo, but differing in colours and patterns between them. One features a blue inner and outer body towards the front, separated from the black rear by a white strip. The other is in more of an American Honda style, with a red inner body and blue outer body.
Both pairs are reasonably priced by the standards of limited-run Converse at ¥14,300, or around £78, but unfortunately for everyone living outside of Japan, they are both only available inside Japan.
