Converse varvatos "targa" sneakers

[proxy1]

I've seen the Varvatos-designed Chuck Taylors and other converse models, and though most didn't appeal to me, a few looked nice and I've always liked my own chucks.

I'm casual-shoe shopping for the fall, and lately, I saw somewhere that Varvatos had also designed the Converse "Targa," more of a classic running shoe. I haven't seen them for sale anywhere though, so I don't know about cost/quality/when they came out, or frankly, where I could find out.

Any leads/comments from people who own/have seen these or the Varvatos chucks?

Also, I wanted to revisit my Cobain-inspired youth and pick up a pair of Navy Jack Purcells, but all I could find were the "redesigned" Purcells. Anyone seen the genuine article?

 

[LA Guy]

The Varvatos Converse can be found at Saks and Neimans and Barneys, pretty much every upper crust department store making any attempt to appeal to the "hip" demographic has them. You can also find them at the Converse website. Pretty interesting materials are used - I really liked the sude corduroy one stars from last winter, and also have a pair of the olive waffle canvas ones from last summer. IMO, not at all worth the $100+ price tags though. Get them on deep discount only. After all, they are just Converse. I think that the Varvatos Targas, on the other hand, are just uninspired. They are just run of the mill with not particularly interesting construction, materials, or colors.

 

[imageWIS]

Has anyone seen I, Robot? They try to OVERTLY sell Converse shoes; it just comes out tacky and adds nothing to the storyline. Also, the shoes are supposedly vintage 2004 converse shoes, but for the story taking place in 2035, they look remarkably well for being 31 years old.

Jon.

 

[proxy1]

Hmm, color me not encouraged... So back to my quest for a fall-winter casual (with jeans) shoe. Those Ludwig reiters are out of my range. Maybe differently colored Pumas for each foot. Â

Thanks guys

 

[imageWIS]

Maybe differently colored Pumas for each foot.

Thanks guys

How very French of you, right Ernest? Jon.

 

[Brian SD]

Proxy is Shoreman80 as his signature says, right? Anyway, I thought the product placement in I, Robot was rather absurd as well. The only way for those All Stars to be in perfect condition is if some crazy guy put them in a air-tight container and and then sold them (most definitely at a price out of range for a police officer to casually buy&#33

. But I still liked the movie quite a bit.

 

[proxy1]

Ah, I'm a tad embarrassed by my lack of technological patience, and I promise I'm the same guy; I'll get my username figured out when I'm feeling less lazy/concentrating less on actual work. I switched computers at home, lost my password, got frustrated, requested a new one (a couple times), but it was registered to an old email address, so I believe I have officially lost access to that username. I wasn't that attached to it, but one does develop a perceived identity online. I just realized I'll lose my "member since..." meh. Maybe I'll become shoreman237. Didn't see I, Robot, yet. The Economist cover this week is an editorial cartoon of John Kerry and the headline "He, Robot?." Â

I looked at the lengthy sneaker thread recently posted, but nothing really stuck out much as something I'd like... I'll keep looking, not like new kicks are that urgent a need...

 

[LA Guy]

I looked at the lengthy sneaker thread recently posted, but nothing really stuck out much as something I'd like... I'll keep looking, not like new kicks are that urgent a need...

Post a price range and general idea (eg: retro, like the Adidas re-releases, designer/sport colaborations like Adidas Y-3, designer sneakers (like the Ludwig Reiter sports, or "hybrid" sneakers, like Prada Sports,) and I'll make some suggestions.

 

[proxy1]

LA Guy,

Thanks in advance for the advice. I would like to spend around $75-$100, I suppose; would want to be certain I'm getting something really worth it if I'm going to cross that threshold.

I like the retro kicks, esp. adidas, converse, and maybe even nike, depending. Don't really want pumas, haven't really liked (most) of the designer stuff, e.g. prada, the japanese fellas.

Right now I rock adidas rod lavers, and I've been happy with them, esp. for the $40 I paid. I just need something darker for the fall to wear with my mostly dark jeans. I've got two pairs of chuck taylors and an old pair of campers I don't really wear. Need to spice it up, I'm feeling - gasp - unhip.

Anyone else want to contribute to this, yet another sneaker thread, feel free.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

I've always been a fan of the Adidas Samba, but there are some people who don't like the fit. If so, there's always the Gazelle, and Adidas Samba Also the Asics Top Seven is a pretty decent retro type shoe. Asics Top Seven Also a converse-type shoe is the KangaROOS Patch Lo Almost exactly a low-top all star, but with a (fairly useless)pocket on the side and a sweet 'roo on the side. KangaROOS Patch Lo

 

[Nick M]

Has anyone seen I, Robot? They try to OVERTLY sell Converse shoes; it just comes out tacky and adds nothing to the storyline. Also, the shoes are supposedly vintage 2004 converse shoes, but for the story taking place in 2035, they look remarkably well for being 31 years old.

The product placement was very jarring - Will Smith wakes up, and all of a sudden it's JVC. CONVERSE. AUDI. But then there's none for the rest of the film.

I can honestly see Chuck Taylors staying in pristine condition for 30 years, as long as they stay dry - they're mostly canvas and rubber, and there are probably plenty of people out there with boxed collections of every color, that they've never worn.

Plus, there's quite a few sneaker stores that specialise in 'new old stock' from decades ago - Air Force 1s and Adidas SL 76 and Terminators and all that.

Why would you want 'vintage' Converse, though? Haven't they been exactly the same since the beginning? And wouldn't you at least want a vintage pair that were made in the US, not Vietnam?

I quite like the look of the JV Converse Targa - but only in the white-and-green version. I don't think they're available in Australia, though - if anyone sees the men's size 7 available anywhere, preferably on discount, shoot me an e-mail or PM and I'll PayPal you the cost of the shoes, plus fat stacks of cash as your 'handling fee'...

 

[proxy1]

Nick M,

Like I said, I've been having trouble finding the Converse Targas anywhere, but then again, I haven't tried saks/nm as LA Guy suggested. As far as Australia, I dunno if Converse will ship there or not, but they have 7s available on their website. They don't have a big size range though, and I think my own size, 11, is out of the question. I think they're US$120; however, other, non-varvatos colors are less expensive with wider size ranges.
I had never seen the slip-on jack purcells that they have, they remind me of my old vans slip ons.

 

[Nick M]

Yeah, unfortunately, the US arm of Converse don't ship outside the US... plus, I'd rather not pay US$120 for a pair of sneakers...

 

[proxy1]

plus, I'd rather not pay US$120 for a pair of sneakers...

Same feeling here. Something's really going to have to strike me as "must have, will wear a LOT" to draw that kinda cash from my thin wallet.

Oh, and sorry about Converse international shipping. Not to divert the thread, but is that a US export thing? No one ever seems to have a problem shipping TO the US, but a lot of US companies seem to refuse to ship elsewhere. Am I being naive, never having had trouble getting stuff here?