Rick Owens Laces-Up Converse Collab

“I’ve been referencing [Converse] for years, so when they suggested a collaboration, it seemed like a good, natural thing to do,” he told

WWD

. “And it kind of closed this poetic circle since I’ve been referencing them for so long and they were cool with it.”

Under the umbrella of Owens’ Drkshdw brand, the Converse collaboration gave three toe caps and two layers of rubber outsole to the classic Chuck Taylors, giving the shoe, as

WWD

calls it, “heft and the look of bumper cars.” The pentagram, a recurring symbol of Drkshdw, replaced the star on another style.

This collaboration marks the first time Converse has introduced a square toe. The Converse x Drkshdw line is unisex in a full-size range, including two TurboDrk Chuck 70s, initially in black, with lily white to follow.

Asked about the role of collaborations, Russell called them “incredibly important” and “as a brand, we look at the long-term

Ongoing collaborators at Converse include A-Cold-Wall, Comme des Garçons Play, Feng Chen Wang, Off-White and Tyler, the Creator. Owens has unveiled collaborations with Birkenstock, Moncler and Champion.

The shoes are set to arrive on Converse’s website in the near future.