Home Care In Converse, LA

Today, Tyler, the Creator and Converse unveiled the highly anticipated 1908 Collection—a striking new chapter in sneaker design. The release, which debuted at an exclusive LA pop-up and will roll out globally on June 20, marks a major moment for the brand. With the Naut-1 and the Jogger leading the charge, the collection is a playful yet intentional reimagining of classic silhouettes, made fresh through Tyler’s singular creative lens.

During a private roundtable discussion ahead of the launch, Tyler offered a candid look at what drew him to Converse’s legacy and how he approached shaping this new wave. While others might lean into nostalgia, Tyler was more interested in pure design instinct. “I honestly hate the idea of nostalgia and things having such a deeper meaning,” he said. “I went through the archives and I was just like, ‘Bro, these shoes are just cool as f**k. I just want to run these and wear them and make ill colorways.’”

The two debut models couldn’t be more distinct. The Naut-1 channels the look of a rugged boat shoe through a daring, preppy-meets-streetwear filter, while the Jogger takes cues from athletic sneakers of the ’70s and ’80s, reworking them for a modern silhouette. Though stylistically different, both designs showcase Converse’s often-overlooked range—and Tyler’s ability to tap into it like only he can.

Tyler’s approach to creative partnerships has always been rooted in authenticity, and his work with Converse is no exception. “You can offer me a hundred million dollars—if I do not f**k with the folks, I’m not doing it,” he said. “So, it’s the relationships and the people that I have so much love for and gratitude towards that when they call, I’m like, ‘All right, let me see what this is.’”

While he’s known for pushing boundaries in both fashion and music, Tyler’s relationship with Converse started long before the boardroom. Growing up in Los Angeles, the Chuck Taylor was a staple, but worn differently depending on who you were. “Most notably gang-banging culture is where I first saw that shoe,” he told Elizabeth Segran from Fast Company during the discussion. “But then you have the skaters who wore it in a different type of way, and from there it funneled to the punk kids who were wearing it in a totally different way.”

“But again, I’m from L.A., so the way that the Mexican kids wore it growing up was totally different,” he continued. “You might come across a white dad that wore the shoes in a totally different way.” That malleability for one silhouette to translate across several cultures—is what ultimately inspired his approach to this new line.

The 1908 Program as a whole feels like a perfect synergy between Tyler’s left-of-center design sensibilities and Converse’s deep-rooted place in sneaker history. More than a collaboration, it’s a reminder of how archive and innovation can coexist—how even century-old brands can feel brand new when the right artist gets involved.

Tyler, the Creator and Converse’s 1908 Collection is available now.

Converse and PAPER joined forces last week in the name of love to spotlight two up-and-coming artists, Alyse Arteaga and Pablo Banuelos, in a series called “Love, Chuck: Scenes from LA.” The two-day pop-up took over Kiosk-o-Thèque on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood on May 29 and 30, transforming it into a love letter to the city through the lens of the artists.

Each of them created a short film that reflects their unique take on Los Angeles. For 23-year-old Alyse Arteaga, who’s from Paramount and debuted her work for the first-ever time publicly, her piece Celluloid was a tribute to the physical medium of film and the places that have shaped her creative life. She used this Converse All Star opportunity to spotlight the local business she worked with in the film Developed in Compton.

The Celluloid installation leaned into that analog nostalgia — think film stills hanging on string, vintage and modern cameras on display, and even a display of disposable cameras for guests to take home for their own creative projects.

Pablo Banuelos, 24, grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and based his film around a place he holds close: the DTLA Flower District. For Banuelos, what specifically makes the city special are the communities of color that create and push culture, and his entire family came to support the display curated by Converse. His film, Flower District, offers a dreamy glimpse into that world. The florist in the story is played by actress Evanelly Aguilar, who also makes handmade hair pieces through her line, Moños De Mi Niñez.

Converse brought Banuelos’ vision to life with a giant wall of real flowers designed by Glorimer Flower & Company and take-home bouquets from Danny’s Flowers. Visitors hung out in front of the three-part kiosk, sipping juices by Crenshaw Juice Company, snapping photos on disposables, flowers in hand and, naturally, wearing their best Chucks.

The Converse All Star program connects young creatives in 26 cities all over the world, enabling incredible art like these two shorts. The year long program enables talented creators to collaborate amongst themselves and create with Converse, highlighting their talents to the world. Applications to join the Converse All Star Program open on June 6, 2025. For more information visit: converse.com/c/all-stars.

Converse teamed up with PAPER, LA Weekly’s sister magazine, to feature rising talents Alyse Arteaga and Pablo Banuelos in a series called “Love, Chuck: Scenes from LA,” on display yesterday and today, May 29 and 30, at Kiosk-o-Thèque on Sunset in West Hollywood.

The project had the two young artists bring their vision of Los Angeles to life, each with a short film.

Alyse Arteaga, 23, from Paramount, spoke on her project Celluloid, which she described as a love letter to the medium and places that mean the most to her.

“As a filmmaker myself, I find that the film and the tactile medium of shooting on film is super important to my visual storytelling. It affirms what I see in front of the camera is both beautiful and technically sound,” she said. “I have a friend of mine in Compton who is creating this developing lab called Developed in Compton. And I just thought it was really important to highlight just how amazing his mission is to create accessible film for communities like myself and people around me.”

Celluloid is an homage to film itself, and the pop-up kiosk featured an immersive film experience, complete with stringed photos, an array of cameras old and new, and disposable cameras for visitors to take home.

“I’m always just drawn to any kind of storytelling medium that’s going to allow me to be in service of my community and just be intentional with the work,” Arteaga said.

Pablo Banuelos, 24, was raised in the San Gabriel Valley, and his homage was to the DTLA Flower District.

“It’s a place that I grew up in, and I spent every weekend going with my mom. So, when they asked me to film about a place that I held near and dear to my heart, that’s what I picked,” said Banuelos, noting that his mom was addicted to buying orchids there.

“When people think about LA, they think of Hollywood and all that nonsense, but being somebody that grew up around the city, it’s always been about the people of color who have used their hands to make a living,” Banuelos said. “Besides working to the bone, they’re still creating art at the end of the day.”

His film Flower District is a slice of life that he says puts you into the headspace of the floral artisans who breathe life into the city. The florist in his film is portrayed by actress Evanelly Aguilar, who has a handmade hair accessory brand called Moños De Mi Niñez.

To elaborate upon Banuelos’ film, Converse’s installation featured a giant walled floral display with bouquets for visitors to take home.

During the two-day exhibit, visitors crowded in front of the three-section kiosk on Sunset to view the films. They clutched bouquets and snapped from their disposables, and fitting for the occasion, came wearing their Chucks.