Converse means differnet things to different people. From proper old school ball to skanky rock n' rollers, the brand has long term cultural associations and relevance that other brands would kill for. As they gear up to celebrate their 100th birthday with a swag of product, events and musical tie-ins, their emerging position of strength in the market is a far cry from just a few years back when Nike bought the moribund brand for a pittance. Indeed it’s almost inconceivable to consider how far they have come and how quickly the new team have recharged the business and given Converse sneakers a fresh spin for the next decade and beyond. They’ve now got so much heat in the kitchen, even Beaverton might be worried!

And thus we exclusively introduce the new Leather Jacket shoe, which is part of the Century Collection.

The appeal is obvious - bikers, rockers, greasers, straight edgers and even fashionistas will all want a piece of this nasty noir joint. Whilst the idea itself and link with rocking Converse heritage is credible, it’s the details in the development that make this one stand out as something much more than a simple idea done nice. This Leather Jacket has had a lot of love thrown at it - the sole is righteous in detail and the vintage moto-cycle jacket leather is locked down with finely stitched patching. There’s black anodized metal zips and deluxe waxy laces to complement the nylon quilted lining and to top it all off, there’s an embossed All Star patch and tuff-nuts buttons on the tongue of the left shoe.

So there you have it – a model that is equally tough and asymmetrically beautiful. Hey, it’s not one strictly for the heads, but there’s no denying Danny Zuko would be all over it like black on midnight. Available globally at specialty retailers beginning in July.