Today, Converse Inc. over in Boston unveiled some shocking news regarding their eternally classic Chuck Taylors – it’s getting an upgrade. Behold the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star II, a “contemporary adaption” of the silhouette that captivated a whole world. We were lucky enough to get a first look at the upcoming release at the exclusive release and a few words from Vice Presidents Richard Copcutt and Bryan Cioppi.

“It’s not about us. It’s not about us putting our signature. If any of you today saw the hand of any of the people that worked on this, we failed. This is about you. This is truly about our consumers, so we got to make that decision, as Richard said, immediately. And we knew, in some ways, it made the challenge easier, and in some ways it made it so, so hard.” – Brian Cioppi, Converse Vice President / Creative Director of Global Footwear

The main focus of the redesign was on comfort. “We listened and took it to heart that people love their Chucks and want sneakers that are built to enable them to do more. The Chuck II is the full expression of this consumer obsession, staying true to the DNA of the original,” says Converse. So their parent company, Nike, placed their Lunarlon sock liner in to make the shoe 20% lighter, add cushioning, and provide arch support.

But the innovations don’t end there: the Chuck II will also feature a perforated micro suede for breathability, a proprietary gum sole, monochrome matte eyelets, and a foam-padded and non-slip gusseted tongue for ultimate comfort. Top that off with on-trend high rubber foxing and a fully embroidered All Star patch, and you got yourself a piece of history brought into the future.

“We put more into every aspect of the sneaker with one big exception, and that is the weight of the sneaker. So hopefully as you guys get to wear, and when I’ve worn mine, I’ve noticed two things: one, the comfort and two, the sneaker is 20% lighter than the original chuck. So kind of at the end of the day, when you’ve been doing what you do, that’s the bit that really hits home and we feel really good about that, and again, through wear testing that came through loud and clear.” – Richard Copcutt, Vice President / General Manager of Converse All Star

The Tencel Canvas-constructed piece will debut on Tuesday, July 28th for $70 (low top) and $75 (hi top), in colors of White, Black, Sodalite Blue, and Salsa Red. “The launch of Chuck II is a ground-breaking moment for Converse as we continue to move the brand forward through creativity and innovation, ushering in not just a new sneaker, but a completely new way of thinking.”