Shai Gilgeous-Alexander And Converse Launch Weapon Sneaker Inspired By His Love For Vintage Styles – Essence

Today is marked by the release of Converse’s Shai Weapon named after one of the most stylish players in the NBA, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s ushering in the return of the sneaker on behalf of the brand. Gilgeous-Alexander was also the face of Converse’s “Create History, Not Hype” campaign.

The star player is largely associated with his killer pre-game tunnel outfits. In tandem with this exciting launch, Converse announces he’ll be the creative director of Converse Basketball beginning this September.

The Shai Weapon arrives in a colorway that blends the player’s passion for vintage style with contemporary applications, according to a press release. To craft the sneaker Converse was tasked with delivering a style with the appearance of a pair of shoes that “might be unearthed at a local thrift shop or garage sale,” a statement reads. The result? A high-top with a “Vintage White” premium leather upper paired with synthetic leather crackle print underlays in “Winsome Orchid” hues on the Star Chevron and collar.

Additional detailing includes an exposed tongue foam and pastel yellow midsole and outsole. The Shai Weapon serves up an aged aesthetic along with contemporary color applications. The latter connects it with the silhouette’s origins to the present. 

“Since its return to Converse’s lineup, the Weapon has been sought by collaborators, including fragment design, UNDEFEATED, Kasina, and more to apply modern executions onto a classic style,” according to the brand. With the Shai Weapon, Converse is delivering a fresh take on the sneaker influenced and also informed by its ‘80s lineage.

The Shai Weapon is currently available in a limited global release at Converse.com and select retail partners.