In times when everybody else seems to be giving their kicks the shoezempic treatment, Converse is giving its Chuck 70 a Derby-like makeover.

With the Chuck being an OG on the slim sneaker front anyway, it's fair to assume Converse felt it more compelling to slither in another direction, retooling the classic lace-ups for a dressier, edgier look, rather than partake in the mass ballet-fication of footwear.

To launch in an all-black and a (possibly Year-of-Snake-themed) serpent-skin colorway, the Chuck 70 Formal is a luxurious leather low-top with grooved, heeled soles for comfortable, sophissssticated strides.

Envisioned to either elevate an otherwise more casual, or slightly roughen a more polished getup, these Chucks offer a best-of-both-worlds appeal.

However distinct, the Chuck 70 Formal is not actually Converse's first exploration of, say, more elegant footwear.

In tandem with corpcore mania and the greater sneaker-loafer movement of late, the 100+ year old company has introduced a variety of hybrid silhouettes, including recent models with tasseled gold-bits and a collab with Japanese brand Graphpaper.

Available from early April onward, the Chuck 70 Formal is quietly vying to ambush the spring/summer season's shoe rotation, viper-style.