Brand: Richardson x Converse Japan
Season: Addict Jack Purcell
Release Date: December 23
Price: ¥30,800 (about $270)
Buy: Richardson’s Japanese web shop and Tokyo flagship, select Japanese Converse Addict stockists
Editor’s Notes: Richardson is ending the year strong with its collaborative Converse Jack Purcell, part of the Japanese footwear company’s Holiday 2021 collection. It’s about as high-end as Converse get, though you’ll have to travel abroad to get hands-on with it.
Converse Addict, if you aren’t familiar, is the premium sub-label of Converse Japan. Note that Converse Japan isn’t owned by Nike; in a series of licensing legalities, it became Japan-only in the ’80s or so and is still distinct from the operation overseen by The Swoosh.
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Of all the Japanese Converse product, Addict is the most premium offering. Made in small batches and rarely sold online, Addict collections include a Chuck Taylor or two, maybe a Jack Purcell and, occasionally, a one-off silhouette inspired by Converse heritage, like the One Star Loafer.
Having already issued some nifty collabs with Nonnative x Wacko Maria and L.L. Bean, this Richardson partnership is a strong end to Converse Japan’s commanding 2021.
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Fitted with a branded suede upper, Richardson’s special Jack Purcell also boasts GORE-TEX lining, a removable insole, a reinforced rubber midsole, metal aglets, and the signature Addict Vibram sole.
It’s modeled by multi-disciplinary artist Paul McCarthy in a shoot helmed by photographer Glen Luchford, affecting a suitably louche attitude.
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Not only is this one of Richardson’s few sneaker collaborations — it created a pair of Vans several years back but they were canceled — but this is one of the year’s finest Converse, if not one of the best Converse ever (with a price tag to match).
I mean, does it get better than suede, GORE-TEX, and Vibram, with all the fixin’s? Too bad they won’t drop anywhere outside of Japan.
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