FightClub China x Lay Zhang on Converse
Sneakers with this design are super popular this year! The collaboration Lay Zhang x Converse is even more fashionable! Netizens: When is it available?
When asked what kind of sneakers is most popular and topical
99% will say collaboration!
Collaborations between brands are common but to have one between a brand and an individual is rare. Recently, Converse and Lay Zhang has come together to design their first collaboration. It also uses the pouch element which is very popular this year.
Removable velcro patches adds a playful element for the shoes. Luminous sole with Lay’s personal logo is also another attractive way to show the attitude.
01
The Chinese artist who knows how to style Converse the most
In recent years, Converse has gone viral in China. As one of the male artists who love Converse, Lay has played an important role in this.
He has the impeccable look. He also has the impeccable ability to pull off the styles.
Simple black trousers with checkered shirt interprets Converse’s simple style freshly.
No wonder they are regarded as templates for styling: simple and versatile.
No wonder they are regarded as templates for styling: simple and versatile.
Lay also pulled off low top styles with ease: matching them with round neck T shirt and light grey roll up pants, giving off artist vibes.
Cargo pants also match perfectly with Converse
Layering white T shirt matching with olive green pants creates the typical street style.
In 2012, trainee Lay Zhang debuted as a member of the boy-band EXO and its subgroup EXO-M.
As the main dancer of the team, he spent almost all his time in dance studio practicing when they were not peforming.
Practice sessions often last more than 10 hours, and he always have 4 to 5 pieces of backup t-shirt in his backpack.
He knows that time is fair to everyone, we all have 24 hours in a day. Only by leveraging all time available to work hard can he have the chance to become a better version of himself.
His artistic career was growing in all aspects: in addition to being a dancer and singer, he also continue to outdone himself, obtaining great achievements in TV shows and movie acting. In 2016, he even started his own studio!
He became even busier ever since.
Fans have counted that Lay almost had no break in the whole year of 2018.
He said, “My dancing, my music and my arragements are all my weapons! I want to put things I’ve learned into every new project, and leave meaningful work behind!”
What’s more, Lay is full of postivie energy. He was praised by CCTV numerous times because of that.
During the South China Sea dispute, Lay changed his Weibo profile picture to map of China, titling “China: Not even a bit can be left behind”. The profile picture still remains till today.
On stage, he’s strict with himself and give his all to work;
Off stage, he’s constantly making break throughs and giving off positive energy:
A perfect match with Converse’s “Do it and show it” philosophy!
02
Deep meaning behind the pouch design
Singer, dancer, music producer, with many roles, Lay has always been insisting on his thoughts and ideas.
The collaboration with Converse features a white high top Chuck 70 and a black low top one, both designed by him. The design went through multiple iterations to reach his standard of perfection.
The white version featured valcro pocket design with deep meaning behind: It was inspired by Lay’s practicing days when he tied sand bags to his legs everyday.
In addition, Converse’s round logo is also designed as a valcro patch, along with Lay’s personal logo patch, definitely a big selling point for fans.
When matched with a whole outfit, the light blue jelly texture midsole of the sneakers brightens the overall look, deliver a simple yet sophisticated vibe.
The other version, black low top Chuck 70 ox, is made with lambskin leather and features Lay’s logo in reflective red color at the sides of the shoes.
What’s worth mentioning is that both versions come with luminous outer soles and shoelaces, representing the time when Lay was practicing alone in unlit studios and his belief in focusing on perfecting each dance move.
Lay commented on the unique design in this collaboration: “I have many stories to tell, so I’ll just do it and show it. Chuck Taylor is the perfect vehicle for coneying my stories.”
03
Interview with Lay Zhang: Owning countless pairs of Converse, and his favorite is…
After owning multiple titles such as trainee, singer, dancer, and indepedent musician, Lay Zhang now has another new title: sneaker designer! Yesterday, he introduced his entire sneaker design process at the global reveal event for Converse x Lay Zhang collaboration.
The project took four entire months: from material selection, to design manuscript, to sample molding, and to the final shoe box design, underwent numerous trials and modifications.
When asked about why designed two different styles: high top and low top, Lay’s answer was very practical.
To tailor towards people with different height and leg shapes.
The reason why side pouches are not fixed, but are removable velcro patches, is to suit different types of pants, which is very considerate.
He also joked that the weather is getting colder, so we can stick our gloves on the shoes.
In additon, there are some extra surprises inside the pouches!
You can find two types of logo: Converse’s round logo and Lay’s personal logo, both come as velcro patches, for you to create your own Lay Zhang × Converse collaboration.
Originally, Chuck 70 only has the classic brand logo on the inside. But now, it has the logo on the both sides, making it quite fun and versatile.
During the event, Lay Zhang particularly emphasized that many targeted designs were incoporated to ensure the comfort level when wearing the sneakers.
The inner lining and tongues are made of skin-friendly material and filled with extra sponge.
The insole is thickened to enhance the softness of when wearing. At the same time, for the sake of girls, it can also raise the height.
During the process of designing the low top version, Lay Zhang specifically chose lambskin leather among various materials, since it is soft and breathable.
It also has storage function in the form of a little pocket with zippers. Under that is Lay’s personal logo in reflective red color. Very unique design overall.
During the break of “Lay Zhang × Converse” global conference global reveal event, Flightclub interviewed Lay Zhang and asked him many questions about sneakers face to face.
How many pairs of Converse sneakers does Lay have?
Which pair has the color scheme that he adore the most?
When heard about having an opportunity to collaborate with Converse, what was the first thing that came to his mind?
Let’s see how Lay Zhang answer these questions that we all are curious about.
How many pairs of Converse do you have? When did you first wear Converse?
I actually have countless pairs of Converse sneakers. First time wearing them was probably around the end of 2008.
Which pairs of Converse shoes most impressed you?
I think the most classic are black and white, or the white ones with red sides. When I first wore high-top sneakers, Iliked to fold down their uppers. As a brand that pays close attention to details and attitudes, some of the Converse shoes have character patterns and details inside them.
Which pair have you been wearing recently?
The one that I designed of course! (I wear them on stage, to practices, and even boxing. My coach is asking me for one everyday, he said with a proud look on his face)
When you heard about an opportunity for collaborating with Converse, what was the first thing that came to mind?
Every collaboration that Converse has with a designer will conveys the soul and the story of the designer. I’ve been tracing back to the very beginning of the story between Converse and I. I kept thinking about what would be a good fit between Converse’s spirit and my story. I came back to the street where I first bought my Converse. I was one of Converse fans, till now that I have my own collaboration with Converse. I’m very happy about that.
What are some revisions during the design process? What impressed you the most?
First of all, a thank you to all the support from Converse’s friends and collegues. We were constantly discusing and experimenting, including details of the shoes, material options and so on. I also thought about the problem I had when wearing Converse. I tried to make it flawless.
How do you interpret the concept of “Do it and show it”?
Every musian has tens of thousands of melodies and tracks in their heads, but you can only “do it and show it” to see whether they are good or not. Everything will turn back to its essence. If you want to impress others via music, your music must be good enough. I love and respect Converse Slogan “Do it and show it” .
04
Important info on the release
After the interview, Lay Zhang asked about their opinions on these shoes, and his attitude was very serious.
From leaving home to pursue his dream as a trainee, Lay has excelled as an idol with various identities one step at a time.
This Converse x Lay Zhang collaboration not only witnessed his hard-work all the way but also conveyed his determination for continuous self breakthrough!
As for the information that everyone care most about the release, the colloboration will be available November 1st on Converse.com.cn, Converse Tmall, as well as participating Converse stores and YOHO! Buy. Pricing at ￥799 (approximately $155 USD)
