Aaron Hope 
Nike has given special attention to the sneaker hotbed in Brazil for years, with a variety of regional releases including that recurring Canaharino theme. Here is what appears to be Converse’s first collaboration based in South America’s largest nation. The Brazilian clothing label Isolda joins forces with Converse for a range of tropical prints applied to multiple pairs of Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars, Auckland Racers and Skidgrips. Click through to see designs inspired by a variety of edible items and gemstones, and look for the Converse Isolda sneaker collection right now at retailers including Dona Coisa and Cartell 001.
Today Converse Inc. announces the launch of the Converse Isolda Sneaker Collection, a brand new footwear range that celebrates Brazil’s vibrant culture through a series of bold and colorful prints. This first-time collaboration between Converse and the Brazilian fashion brand Isolda brings together a bold palette of watercolors and exotic hues brought to life on a series of iconic sneaker silhouettes from the Converse archive.
“The notion of color and self-expression is a very important part of Brazilian culture,” said Alessandra Affonso Ferreira, Creative Director of Isolda. “It was exciting to fuse the creative and rebellious universe from Converse with Isolda’s tropical fashion chic and create prints reminiscent of my childhood in northeastern Brazil and as a teenager in England during the 1980s Punk scene.”
Available exclusively in Brazil, the Converse Isolda Sneaker Collection features a total of nine different prints rendered on three of the brand’s most iconic silhouettes – the Converse Chuck Taylor, the Converse CONS Auckland Racer and the Converse CONS Skidgrip. Inspired by iconic elements from Brazil’s tropical climate and culture, the collection features a series of bright watercolors featuring cashews, guavas, “tutti frutti” and gemstones prints, along with playful renditions of lobsters and octopus. The sneakers also feature an all-over printed canvas upper and lining, an all-white rand, and premium white leather logo detailing.
Following an exclusive launch during Fashion Rio on Friday, November 8, the Converse Isolda Sneaker Collection will be available for sale in limited quantities at select retailers including Dona Coisa (Rio De Janeiro) and Cartell 001 (Sao Paulo) starting Tuesday, November 12. The premium sneakers are availalble in unisex sizing 4 – 12, with prices ranging from $110 to $130.
Source: Nike Inc.
