Boston: Customize Your Kicks, “Converse By You” Is Coming To The Seaport
You will soon have the chance to design your own Chuck Taylor’s right on-site. The lineup for the 13th season of The Current (Boston Seaport shops) announced yesterday that Converse will be taking over two locations, with their “Converse By You” experience rolling in.
The Current is a series of nine pop-up shops off Seaport Boulevard in Boston. On a rotating basis, unique brands take over these shops to sell and feature their products. Converse, which has its headquarters in Boston (Lovejoy Wharf, 160 N Washington St.) will be taking two of these pop-up locations. They will be offering their “Converse By You” customization experience here. This will allow shoppers “to explore and personalize an array of classic and modern Converse sneaker silhouettes,” the Seaport says in their official press release.
Converse Is Getting Artsy
In addition, Converse will be selling selected apparel and “ready-to-buy styles” that do not need customization. If you are not sure where to start your design at these pop-up locations, Converse will be bringing in artists to help guide you through the process and design the shoe that best represents you. Additional artists will help Converse create and feature Boston-inspired artwork that best represents the city’s deep history, diversity, and culture.
“Converse By You” ultimately aims to inspire self-expression through the ability to personalize some of their classic kicks. “We are proud to embrace our Boston heritage in the heart of the city that has served as the canvas for our iconic brands,” said Carina Donoso, VP of Retail Experience & Incubation.
The Current will feature other Boston-based businesses this season as well. For example, the clothing brand 1987 and Little Cocoa Bean baby food will join “Converse By You.”
To kick the season off right, The Current will throw a free “Falling For The Current” party. This will be held on Friday, September 22, from 4-6 pm at The Current. It will be hosted by Girlfriends Boston, and will include a DJ, scavenger hunt, and treats.
Massachusetts: Local Street Art Is Getting National Exposure
A New Bedford, Massachusetts street art display is now getting national attention by being published in a book by Simon & Schuster.
On the Wall Posters: Street Art is described as a one-of-a-kind collection of posters, all from local artists. This book showcases 30 graffiti and street mural-inspired wall posters. Furthermore, it is all from the local mural art project, Superflat NB.
Founded in 2017, Superflat NB works directly with New Bedford’s residents and other artists around the world. Together, they are creating transformative public art. The collection of posters they will be publishing into a colorful book will bring these art pieces to life. In fact, you can now insert them right into your home.
What Superflat means
Japanese contemporary artist, “Takashi Murakami coined the term to express spatial compression and the blending of high and low art in his own work.” Superflat NB explains via their website. “Surperflat NB will provide access to the arts by directly engaging New Bedford’s youth, artists, and its residents in the ideation and creation of transformative public art through the traditions of mural-making,” they conclude. Their aim is to revitalize the city of New Bedford by inspiring youth with this creative outlet. In addition, their murals will bring national artists’ work into the community.
Book Introduction
“Today, street art is used worldwide for self-expression and to add character to unexpected places,” the book quotes. What can you expect to find when you crack open this poster book? On The Wall Posters: Street Art explains it as “wildstyle graffiti tags and colorful B-boy characters, to pop-art, stencil-style mural and more.”
Here, we will look at three pieces featured in this Massachusetts street art book that will now receive national distribution.
The book is available for pre-order now. It will be officially released on September 19, 2023. In the meantime, you preview the images and find more information on their Simon & Schuster page.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
