The Sneaker Hall Of Fame is FashionBeans’ compendium of the most iconic trainer designs of all time. From the Common Projects Achilles Low to the Nike Air Force One, these are the kicks that have changed the course of footwear history.

There are classics in the world of sneakers. Go-tos. Favourites. Timeless essentials. The type of shoes that have earned their stripes over the course of decades and continue to fly off shelves today. It’s difficult to imagine a higher tier of footwear fame, but there’s one sneaker that has achieved it: the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star.

The All Star is much more than a hero of your shoe cupboard – it’s footwear rightly celebrated as a design classic, and all the more so because it’s so accessible. According to stats from Footasylum, over 60 per cent of Americans have bought at least one pair – more than any other sneaker in history.

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though. After all, this is a trainer that, over the course of the last century, almost single-handedly created a sneaker market and continues to dominate it to this day. It’s an omnipresent icon of popular culture, a sporting staple and a masterpiece of utilitarian design all rolled into one. Not bad for what is essentially just a bit of rubber and canvas.

Here we delve into the details behind the most popular sneaker of all time. Including its history, why we love it and how you can incorporate it into your day-to-day wardrobe.

History Of The Converse Chuck Taylor All Star

Unlike most sneakers, the Chuck Taylor All Star’s history stretches all the way back to 1908, when Marquis Mills Converse founded the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in Malden, Massachusetts.

Converse All Star

Nine years down the line, the company designed a basketball shoe, marketing it under the name, “Non-Skids”. This simple canvas sneaker was to be the forerunner to a footwear phenomena that would sweep the world for decades to come.