At this point, it feels like nearly every athletic footwear brand has thrown its hat into the ring in the battle for sneaker loafer supremacy. On a seemingly weekly basis, a new contender emerges with a new hybrid design. This time around, it’s Nike, Inc.-owned subsidiary Converse that’s taking on the trend, but it’s far from the first time the brand has delved into athletic-meets-formal territory. In fact, a strong case could be made that Converse actually started the sneaker loafer trend as we know it today.
Newly surfaced product images show a Japan-exclusive Converse All-Star Coupe GB Loafer in black and white with gold hardware. Compared to some of the sneaker loafers that have popped up over the last year, Converse’s offering is considerably more subdued, to the point it may not even register as athletic-inspired. With its sleek leather loafer upper design, the Chuck Taylor-informed sole almost blends with the look of a standard shoe.
While many outlets and social media accounts are posturing that this is Converse’s entry into the sneaker loafer space, the brand isn’t merely following the latest trend.
In Japan, Converse has offered variations of the All-Star Coupe Loafer as far back as 2022 — a claim that can’t be made by other sneaker loafer purveyors. New Balance, the brand with the buzziest loafer hybrid thus far, debuted the 1906L in September 2024. Elsewhere, Hoka unveiled its Speed Loafer in January.
Looking even further back, Nike’s 1982 Vagabond model may be the earliest example of an athletic brand releasing its own loafer, but it wasn’t quite a full-fledged sneaker hybrid in the way that recent releases have been.
Based on the availability of previous Converse All-Star Coupe Loafer offerings, it’s likely that the pairs pictured here will remain exclusive to Japan, however FN will let readers know if anything changes.
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