If you ever wondered what happens when a punk couture label raids the sneaker hall of fame, here is your answer. Nike and Converse have teamed up with Vaquera to twist the Chuck Taylor All Star into something deliciously unrecognizable: slouched, towering, textile-heavy creations that look like your favorite boots got possessed by a downtown performance artist.
This is not a collab. This is a plot twist.
The Slouch Heard Around the World
Meet the XXXHi Slouch Wedge and the XHi Slouch Wedge. Two silhouettes that take the classic Chuck and stretch it until it feels like a fashion dream sequence. The XXXHi climbs above the knee with exaggerated attitude. The XHi drops just below, serving chaotic chic for anyone who loves a statement that refuses to behave.
Both versions hide a wedge sole inside their soft, waxed textile bodies. No laces. No rules. Just Converse DNA filtered through Vaquera’s signature do-it-yourself fantasy.
Bryn Taubensee describes it perfectly: they wanted to keep the Chuck recognizable, but supersize the upper so it becomes familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. It is the kind of contradiction Vaquera lives for.
Couture Camp Meets Street Legend
Wrapped in synthetic waxed canvas that patinas like an old love letter, the shoes exaggerate proportion, bend movement, and feel like runway satire you can actually wear. The classics are all there. The patch. The pinstripes. The canvas. But filtered through Vaquera’s eye, they feel like artifacts from a fashion universe where nothing is sacred and everything is dramatic.
This drop debuted on Vaquera’s Fall 2025 runway in Paris, proving once again that the brand has mastered the art of making the absurd feel aspirational.
The Collab Expands Into Nike Territory
And the fun is only getting started. This release marks the beginning of a wider partnership between Nike, Converse, and Vaquera. Next up is a reinterpretation of the Nike Air Max Dn8 arriving in December, covered in kiss marks. Yes. Kiss marks.
According to Patric DiCaprio, romance is a cornerstone of Vaquera. So the lipstick-covered sneaker somehow makes sense. It is playful. It is weird. It is totally Vaquera while still carrying Nike’s next-gen Dynamic Air functionality.
Vaquera: The Cult Label That Thrives on Chaos
From pillow dresses that broke the internet to the Dover Street Market pipeline, Vaquera has evolved from blog-era chaos into a Paris Fashion Week staple. Their world thrives on contradiction: satire and sincerity, homage and parody, couture and camp. They call it fashion fan fiction. And honestly, that is exactly what it feels like.
A remix of the familiar. A love letter to the iconic. A wink at everything fashion takes too seriously.
Release Info
Converse x Vaquera launches globally November 8 at vaquera.nyc and Dover Street Market. Wider release on November 11 at converse.com, SNKRS, and select retailers. Nike x Vaquera Air Max Dn8 lands in December. Stay Tuned!
Consider this round one. The fashion fan fiction saga has officially begun.
