i.passionista: i heart: chucks

It must be nice to be a part of a team developing a product that can truly sell itself, sans the marketing, the hype, and all the celebrity or athlete endorsements. What shining moment that must be for the creative and technical geniuses who knows they've succeeded after they've delivered and unveiled the fruits of their labor. To be able to stand behind a product and proudly say, "Yep, I was a part of that."

And in this day and age where consumers are constantly bombarded with the latest fashion craze, trend-relevant colors, the next best technology, what's hot, what's not... it can sometimes be overwhelming, even for the savviest of shoppers. And when it comes to shoes, particularly sneakers, the general public doesn't really have a sophisticated knowledge of why it's constructed in a specific way, what that technology is for, why those air-bags or uber-light construction makes it worth the money to splurge on. Unless there is history behind it, say a running shoe with a lifelong loyalty from an avid runner, then you're really counting on how the end-user reacts to how it looks (not forgetting the price tag, of course). While marketing does play a huge role on the success of a product, consumers, for the most part, are perceptive and keen on what looks good. They can pitch us their latest patented technology, the most unique materials, the best in-trend color combination and a winning public figure to endorse it... but if the aesthetic components aren't selected and crafted together in an eye-catching way, then it simply just won't sell. At least not in the numbers they expected and not the following they had hoped for.

Having said all that, I have to give credit, which is rightfully due, to an iconic brand that has been in the market for over three decades. It's the timeless silhouette of a classic favorite - Chuck Taylors. It's hard to believe that professional basketball players wore this shoe at one point and played a good ball game. What with all the bells and whistles that a modern basketball shoe now has, you have to wonder how well they actually performed on-court.

The beauty of this shoe is that it has kept its heritage roots and no matter what fashion era has come and gone, Chucks has been able to sustain its value and share in the footwear market. It's on a simple, classic platform that when surrendered to imaginative and creative eyes and hands, then the possibilities are endless. From the materials, textures, colors, fabric washes, to the laces and graphics, down to the minute stitching details, eyelets, and added hardware like zippers and studs. And then you get designers like John Varvatos and artists like Jeff Hamada that take their existing silhouette to another level.

The other beauty of this shoe is that it is and can be worn by many different types of people across generations: Your typical, rebellious teenager, his little brother, the soccer mom, hip-hop artists, rock-n-rollers, emo/punk/pop-stars, skaters, athletes, teachers, artists, and just your average Joe or Jane on the street - each with a style of their own. On the same token, it ties in and crosses over different lifestyles, music genres and interests. Not to mention its influence and impact on diverse cultures and language barriers across continents. I recently came across a Japanese traveler at the airport who, with an English dictionary in one hand and a map in the other, stopped to point at my simple yet shiny, black, patent Chucks. With a big grin, he said, "Chuck Tayror, I rove it!" And to that I said, "Domo arrigato" and waved him off with, dare I say it, a peace sign.

Whether it's your classic Black & White Hi-Top Chucks or an off-the-wall personalized Chucks, the brand truly speaks volume and longevity in the marketplace. As someone who has a passion for shoes, it would be one of my greatest accomplishments to be able to say, "Yep, I was a part of that."

So now that I've written a novel or what seems to be a lengthy product/brand review, an endorsement even, I share some of the best ones I found online along with a couple of the ones I own. Check them out...