After the All Star LP BL OX, Converse joined the ever-growing ranks of brands taking inspiration from the most graceful art, but Converse’s exploration of the whimsical world of ballet shoes is not yet complete. 

Nike, adidas, and even Vans have ventured in the dance studio in recent months, and while all of the iterations aforementioned take similar design cues, the Converse All Star Trek Wave BL OX “Gingham Pack” is an outlier by design.

Classic ballet shoes feature barely-there sole units, gracefully treading the line between reinforced sock and sports shoe. And while this doesn’t work for lifestyle variations, most take it into account and retain that lightweight elegance in the design.

Not Converse. The designers at Converse HQ in Boston decided to rip up the ballet rule book for the Gingham Pack, ensuring that the sole units were as big and rebellious as possible.

The Converse All Star Trek Wave BL OX dropped last year in several colorways that emphasized the punk-inflection while recognizing the shoe’s cutesy background.

The latest colorways go one step further, landing in black and light blue, but amplifying the cuteness with gingham ribbon ties.

It will come as no great surprise that this huge-soled, kawaii design has been a big hit in Japan, where the mixing of visual codes lies at the heart of subcultural interests.

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