A little history on Jack Purcell. Which I had no clue, but maybe some of you guys did.
John Edward "Jack" Purcell (December 24, 1903 – June 10, 1991) was a Canadian world champion badminton player. Purcell was the Canadian National Badminton Champion in 1929 and 1930, and declared the world champion in 1933. He retired in 1945, and pursued a career as a stock broker. Purcell also designed an athletic shoe that bears his name, which is still popular today.
Purcell designed a canvas and rubber badminton sneaker for the B.F. Goodrich Company of Canada in 1935. He designed the shoe to provide more protection and support on badminton courts. In the 1970s, Converse purchased the trademark rights to Jack Purcell sneakers - which it still produces and sells today. Converse "Jack Purcells" are still popular - but more for their vintage fashion appeal than for athletic use
A bit on the collectable JP's featured below. The founder and creative mind behind famous sneaker spots Kicks/HI in Hawaii and St Alfred's in Chicago designed these lovely Purcell's. The use of the super rich Epi leather gives away that this is not your ordinary Jack P. Its the Ian G. Jack P. Part of the Converse 1HUND(RED) Collection.
If you don't know what Epi leather is we can tell you that its a very fine leather often used by exclusive bag maker Louis Vuitton. Here's the lowdown on Epi leather according to the Louis Vuitton Resource Center: The Epi Leather is inspired by the grained leather used by Louis Vuitton in the 1920s. The process of making a perfect Epi takes a very precise and controlled procedure. First, the leather is tanned with plant extracts, then deep-dyed. Its uniqueness comes from the two tones obtained from a shine and a special coloring on the top of the grain. The Epi leather is water repellent so the Ian G Jack P's are safe and are perfect to use during the rainy days.
