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The All Star City Collection pays homage to the greats of the game, as the basketball world comes together to celebrate the mid-point of the NBA season. The Pro Leather OG comes in an unmistakable black/red colorway, while the All Star Pro BB low tops reach back deeper into the game’s history for inspiration. Together they serve as a tribute to both the iconic players that graced the court and the city that those players captivated with their stellar play. Available now on Converse.com.
Few have debuted at the NBA Draft with as much style as Kelly Oubre Jr., who rocked a game-changing maroon suit the night he landed a team in 2015. The All Star Pro BB “Draft Night” pays homage to this moment with sleek low top execution, a style Oubre Jr. prefers on-court. With lightweight flexibility and premium support, the Draft Night will help you make the same kind of statement Oubre Jr. made in 2015. Available now on Converse.com & Soho. #BeTheFirst
Allen Iverson cuts his hair. Could it be true? The famous cornrows are gone? Yes, yes and yes. Indeed, when Allen Iverson cuts his hair, it makes the headlines. That's how closely associated cornrow braids have been with Detroit Pistons guard Allen Iverson.
Allen Iverson Cuts His Hair: A brief History of Cornrows
When Allen Iverson sported cornrow braids, he was in a sense paying homage to his ancestors, for the cornrow hairstyle originated in Africa. Historians believe that the hairstyle dates back as far as 500 B.C., in fact. Various styles served to transmit a variety of attributes, including social status, age, and religious affiliation.
The cornrow braid hairstyle survived the ravages of slavery in America. Maintaining the hairstyle was one of the few ways that slaves could remember and celebrate their native culture's rich traditions. The cornrow styles that black slaves fashioned were an amalgamation of African, European and Native American hairstyle trends. And, interestingly, among some runaway slaves, flamboyant cornrow styles were worn as blatant acts of defiance.
After the Civil War, more and more African Americans began to straighten their hair. Among black children, though, the cornrow style remained a place where the tradition was enthusiastically continued. Oftentimes, in fact, little girls would get their first cornrow braids while sitting at the knees of their grandmothers.
Allen Iverson Cuts off his Cornrows: Whatever Happened to Cicely Tyson?
When Allen Iverson first decided to rock cornrows, he may have been indirectly influenced by actress Cicely Tyson. Back in 1963, she wore cornrows while she co-starred in the television drama "East Side/West Side" with George C. Scott and Elisabeth Wilson. Arguably, it was Cicely Tyson who helped kick off the "Black is Beautiful" movement in America during the late 60s and early 70s, which was a time when black women began to eschew hair straightening in favor of more "natural" styles.
