The Converse Jack Purcell Gets A Premium First String Upgrade

September 2, 2026

The Converse First String line is designed for those who live in Converse, offering elevated takes on the brand’s most iconic silhouettes without losing sight of what made them classics in the first place. The formula is straightforward: preserve the history and proportions of the originals, then rebuild them with materials and construction more befitting a fashion house than a mass-market sneaker brand. Following the program’s return via the Converse First String Chuck Taylor last year, the Nike-owned label is turning its attention to another cornerstone of its archive with a premium Jack Purcell, arriving in two colorways exclusively at Kith on September 3rd.

At a glance, the Jack Purcell can understandably get lumped in with the Chuck Taylor given its similarly low-slung, deck shoe-esque construction. But the silhouette has a history all its own, one far more complicated than that of the Chuck for that matter. Introduced in the 1930s, the Jack Purcell was the signature shoe of Canadian world-champion badminton player Jack Purcell, a charismatic, quick-witted sportsman whose larger-than-life personality made him something of a Marty Supreme-type figure. The shoe was produced by B.F. Goodrich and was revolutionary for its “Posture Foundation” arch-support technology, which would eventually become the basis (and name) for PF Flyers. Converse acquired the rights to the silhouette in the 1970s and has since carried it through the brand’s many chapters, including its acquisition by Nike in the early 2000s.

The Jack Purcell has hardly disappeared in the decades since. Its 21st-century résumé includes notable collaborations with Fragment Design and Comme des Garçons, but this First String deployment ranks among the silhouette’s more substantial modern reinterpretations. The familiar canvas upper gives way to premium leather, while custom Vibram outsoles bring herringbone traction and a significantly more durable foundation to the otherwise understated design. The comfort gets an upgrade, too, courtesy of a Comfort Pack sockliner equipped with Nike Ambient Air cushioning. Even with all those modern enhancements, the best details don’t need changing. The signature smile-shaped cutout on the toe cap, a nod to Purcell’s famously upbeat personality, remains intact.

The Converse First String Jack Purcell releases in Off-White and Pine Green exclusively via Kith on September 3rd, 2026. Given the shoes’ premium nature, retail is set at $250 per. See detailed images below if you’re moved to cop a pair.