Style
Kendrick Lamar's first Converse sneakers arrive ahead of new album
Bringing new meaning to Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers.
Converse has been going all-in for its latest sneaker collaborations. The sneaker company went goth with Rick Owens for its Weapon revamp and paired up with A-Cold-Wall* to bring a futuristic take to the laceless shoe. Its latest partnership, however, gives maximalism a break, as Converse teams up with Kendrick Lamar and his pgLang record label.
Titled “pgLang for Converse,” the collection takes on two classic Converse silhouettes, the Chuck 70 and the Pro Leather. Each is a breath of fresh air, understated and elegant, and opts for a clean, minimal approach that aligns with visuals about finding connections in lonely LA.
Converse ft. pgLang — The Chuck 70 doesn’t stray too far from its original makeup and gets infused with subtle details that nod to Kendrick. Hiking-style silver eyelets add some grip to the laces, and contrast stitching comes in red across the upper. The sneaker comes dressed in a cream shade, and sports traditional navy blue and red striping at the midsole. “pgLang for” is printed above the Converse logo at the ankle, both treated in tan tones.
As for the Pro Leather, the low-top sneaker gets retouched with soft suede uppers. Silver eyelets secure the laces on the silhouette as well, while blue stitching contrasts at the tongue and heel. Branding at the rear comes in the form of a slanted “a” above the Converse logo.
Founded in 2020 with Dave Free, pgLang boasts a record label, production house, and publishing services. The collaboration aims to represent the company’s ethos of channeling curiosity, accessibility, and creativity. This message is best seen through text written backward on that tongue tags, reading, “You took the time to read this. So you’re probably open minded. Try these on for good luck.”
New artist Tanna Leone, model Selah Marley, and director Savannah Setten all contribute to the visuals that kicked off the collab. The minute-long video tells the story of two strangers who find an unexpected connection in LA and even references the Converse’s laces as a storytelling mechanism throughout the visual.
The pgLang for Converse collection is available now at pg-lang.com. “Goodluckchuck” (the capsule’s Chuck 70) is priced at $100, while “theprogramleather” (Pro Leather) rings in at $90. The collab couldn’t have come at a better time either, as Lamar’s upcoming album, Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, releases May 13.
