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The Converse First String Jack Purcell offers a reintroduction of the story court shoe popular in tennis.<\/p>\n
Converse<\/p>\n
One of the most storied shoes in court history\u2014especially tennis\u2014never really went away, but it\u2019s still making a massive comeback. Converse is reintroducing the Jack Purcell, launching the shoe this fall in the brand\u2019s premium First String treatment while teasing future iterations of what the brand calls its second most storied shoe. <\/p>\n
For tennis fans, it\u2019s certainly number one. And with ample reason.<\/p>\n
Originally created as a signature badminton shoe in 1935 by Canadian world champion Jack Purcell, tennis players soon usurped the model as it captured key market share through the 1960s as a performance tennis shoe also worn by golfers and sailors. Converse bought the rights to the shoe crafted by B.F. Goodrich Company of Canada in 1972 and reissued it multiple times over the decades. Now, though, comes a complete rethinking of the model as the Converse First String Jack Purcell<\/a>, launching Sept. 8.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Jack Purcell is one of our most iconic models and we have seen many different identities since its inception,\u201d Alex Restivo, product director of special projects for Converse, tells me, adding that the Jack Purcell has been relatively quiet in the last five years. \u201cWe saw a moment happening within the court space and we have a deep history in court, so now is the time to strike.\u201d <\/p>\n Launching Sept. 8, Converse reintroduces the Jack Purcell, one of the most storied court shoes in history.<\/p>\n ConverseThe First String Jack Purcell<\/p>\n In fall 2025, Converse debuted its First String platform<\/a>, launching the brand\u2019s iconic Chuck Taylor as a \u201cpinnacle execution,\u201d a luxury platform that amps up the brand\u2019s key silhouettes. The Chuck represents a high-top offering, while the First String Jack Purcell introduces a low-top expression. <\/p>\n Giving the Jack Purcell the luxury treatment befits the shoe. \u201cJack Purcell as a person was known for his quiet confidence and the Jack Purcell is one of those quiet confidence shoes for people who know what they\u2019re looking for,\u201d Restivo says. \u201cIt was a perfect marriage with First String.\u201d <\/p>\n The Converse First String Jack Purcell features detailing reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s models. <\/p>\n Converse<\/p>\n The launch features both an all-white design and a mountain green\/white version and brings premium materials in line with First String, all heavily informed from the Converse Jack Purcell archives. <\/p>\n \u201cWorking on First String was a crazy rewarding experience,\u201d Restivo says. \u201cThe designer and I had so much fun crafting this collection. When we created First String, we treated it as a love letter to our icons. We wanted to make sure we could create the best of the best version of that icon. Looking back at all the different versions, we wanted to take the best of shape, detailing, materials, fit, all those things through the decades and apply it to this version.\u201d <\/p>\n To start, the new Jack Purcell features an updated last for a wider forefoot. The toe cap shape\u2014where Purcell\u2019s iconic \u201csmile\u201d gets embedded in the rubber\u2014features a shorter profile reminiscent of the early 1980s. The collar top-line rises slightly, reminiscent of styles in the 1970s and 1980s. The heel stay widens and adds new stitching details while the stitching across the upper reflects a larger arch aesthetic pulled from the mid-\u201870s. The vent eyelets are sunk into the top of the foxing, something taken from the \u201880s. The license plate at the heel is updated to the \u201870s-era JP script and wedge logo. <\/p>\n Other premium updates include the original rubber outsole now featuring Vibram for durability and traction, premium leather uppers, a sockliner built with Nike CX foam, Nike Air technology, premium laces, beveled eyelets and a lace keeper to stabilize the tongue. <\/p>\n The famed Jack Purcell smile takes on a new shape in the updated First String Jack Purcell model.<\/p>\n Converse<\/p>\n Restivo says that even with the updates, the team was careful not to overstep the shoe\u2019s history, instead digging through past versions to create the best version of a Jack Purcell. <\/p>\n \u201cIf you are going to Wimbledon, you only need to pack one pair of shoes,\u201d Restivo says about the First String Jack Purcell. \u201cYou can wear it out to a very nice restaurant and be the most stylish person or you can wear it to a match. It is court appropriate in all aspects.\u201d <\/p>\n The Jack Purcell Smile<\/p>\n If nothing else, the smile defines a Jack Purcell. When Purcell worked with the rubber company to craft the shoe in the 1930s he personally created the rubber toe cap to create durability during drag. Purcell highlighted his nickname of \u201cthe smiler\u201d by embedding a smile within the toe\u2019s rubber.<\/p>\n MORE: The Complete History of Signature Shoes In Tennis<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cDifferent versions had been nuanced in so many different ways, but we had to get that area right,\u201d Restivo says about the smile. \u201cIt can ben polarizing. The proportion on this is so much different than Jack Purcells we have created in the past\u2014in a great way. It is the one detail I love the most.\u201d<\/p>\n That detail helps define the model. <\/p>\n The Converse First String Jack Purcell. <\/p>\n Converse<\/p>\n The Jack Purcell is the oldest signature shoe used in tennis. While originally created for and by the world champion badminton player, the shoe quickly made its way onto the tennis court. Stan Smith once told me that in the 1960s players were wearing either Converse or Jack Purcells. The two became one as Converse acquired the rubber company\u2019s athletic shoe line in 1972. The Jack Purcell eventually transitioned into a lifestyle sneaker and went through a skate phase in the mid-1990s. Nike bought Converse in 2003, introducing a variety of styles over the years, including a Jack Purcell Signature in 2015.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Jack Purcell,\u201d Restivo says, \u201cis one of the most important silhouettes in our archive.\u201d<\/p>\n The Future of the Jack Purcell<\/p>\n The Converse First String Jack Purcell offers a luxurious reintroduction<\/a> of the storied court shoe. But it won\u2019t be the last iteration. \u201cWe are really excited about the future of the Jack Purcell,\u201d Restivo says. \u201cIt is an amazing shoe, and we are excited to bring it into the court world and excited to see what\u2019s coming next.\u201d <\/p>\n MORE: Tate Kuerbis Redefining Wilson Tennis Footwear With Timeless Approach<\/a><\/p>\n