Converse - Renew Launch
Reimagining an icon through the lens of circular design
The Brief
By 2019, Converse was proactively looking for ways to make its most iconic product more sustainable, answering to global shifts in culture and Nike’s wider Move to Zero vision. The challenge was how to evolve an icon built on permanence into a symbol of progress — balancing scale, authenticity, and design integrity.
The Work
We developed Converse Renew, the brand’s first sustainability platform, re-engineering the Chuck Taylor with recycled and repurposed materials. The idea was simple: same shoe, new life. Our strategy was to use the capsule as proof of concept — a storytelling pilot for long-term transformation.
In Western Europe, I led the regional launch and the creation of the global creative toolkit, which became the blueprint for the campaign worldwide.
We debuted the story at Coal Drops Yard in London in a pop-up built entirely from recycled materials, hosting upcycling workshops with local schools and artists including Lava La Rue, bringing “renewal” to life as an open, participatory experience. Photography focused on texture, hands, and process; the design system extended the idea of re-use into packaging, retail, and digital.
Renew was never positioned as a drop. It was introduced as an ongoing design philosophy - a mindset that continues to shape Converse’s product and materials strategy.
The Outcome
Renew became more than a campaign; it redefined how Converse talks about design. The visual and verbal framework built in Europe set the tone for global storytelling and still shapes Converse’s sustainability communication today.
The platform influenced future material development and helped establish Renew as a lasting product pillar, referenced across subsequent collections and campaigns. Coverage spanned cultural and design media - Dazed, Hypebeast, Dezeen, praised for blending authenticity and innovation in a category too often defined by corporate tone.
