Twenty years ago, Rick Owens viewed sneakers as “pedestrian, suburban banality.” Then he started going to the gym. He started considering how to make sneakers more him. With the Converse x DRKSHDW TURBOWPN, the classic 1986 Converse Weapon is reframed. The vibe is pure Owens.
Exaggerating both the upper and tooling, his signature touch augments the familiar lines (the Y-bar and heel cap) and the shoe is made bombastic. “When I discovered how powerful just oversizing something a little bit was, which I’ve done with a lot of my clothes, that became one of my tools,” Owens says.
The shoe features an elongated tongue, mirroring the TURBODRK Chuck 70. The Weapon’s outsole is nearly doubled in the TURBOWPN, forming a platform-like stance. Within, the TURBOWPN houses a CX foam drop-in and subtly reinforced toe box.
Another Owens signature is the inclusion of his DRKSHDW iconography. “One of the main things that I think it suggests is empathy and consideration of systems of living that might not be standard,” he says.
The launch black colorway reflects the Weapon’s original debut and underscores Owens’ approach to contemporary luxury.
The Converse x DRKSHDW TURBOWPN releases August 31 at converse.com, RickOwens.eu, Rick Owens shops, and select Converse retailers.
