Chuck Taylor All Star II "OG"

The Chuck Taylor All Star II arrived in 2015 as Converse’s most significant update to the Chuck Taylor silhouette in decades. Rather than a full redesign, the brand treated it as a refinement, preserving the iconic canvas upper and vulcanized aesthetic while addressing the longstanding functional criticisms that had followed the original Chuck for generations. The most meaningful change sat underfoot: a Nike Lunarlon sockliner replaced the thin, unforgiving insole that had defined the original, giving the II substantially more cushioning without altering the profile in any visible way from the outside.

The OG colorway, rendered in the classic optical white canvas with black trim and a clean white rubber foxing, was the clearest statement of intent for the whole line. Converse wasn’t trying to reposition the Chuck as a performance shoe or chase a new consumer. The OG colorway made that obvious by anchoring the updated construction to the most recognizable version of the silhouette. The canvas retained its familiar texture, the ankle patch kept its typeface, and the toe cap held its traditional shape.

Where the changes revealed themselves was in the construction details. The upper featured a fused underlining for a cleaner fit, perforated micro-suede lining for breathability, and a revised last that brought the fit closer to contemporary footwear standards. The sole unit, while visually similar to the original, incorporated the Lunarlon layer in a way that made extended wear considerably more comfortable.

The All Star II occupied a complicated position on release, appealing to Chuck loyalists curious about the upgrade while drawing skepticism from purists who considered the original’s austerity part of its identity.