In 1908, Converse started making tires and rubber-soled shoes out of Malden, Massachusetts. The tire business faded, but basketball buoyed the shoe trade. In 1918, Chuck Taylor joined the company; in 1935, Jack Purcell became a badminton champ while wearing his signature custom-designed Converse. Affordable and iconic, these sneakers have been worn by members of every subculture from rock 'n' rollers to jocks. Now in its second century, Converse is perhaps the most singularly American shoe to grace feet from the sandlot to the runway. But it doesn't stop there. The sportswear brand that was there from the beginning also offers a range of accessories with the same timeless vibe as their kicks, and with Black Canvas — their first standalone apparel collection, launched in 2011 — they’ll have you outfitted in classic-but-current style from head to toe.