CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: CONVERSE X MARTINE ALI 

Part of Converse’s legacy is based on its continual celebration and reinvention of its classics, taking inspiration from its archives to shape where it’ll go next. Martine Ali is a creative whose Jewellery brand has also been influenced by era-defining trends, offering nostalgic, subversive characteristics to her accessories.

So when she embarked on a partnership with Converse, it was expected to be nothing short of epic! Two shoe styles, Chuck 70 De Luxe Wedge & Chuck 70 XXHi and some apparel later, this collaboration boasts a unique approach to versatility, a forefront in empowering bold style to drive limitless self-expression via Martine’s lens of future-forward design.

We sat down with Martine Ali, to discuss her time in London, the design elements of working with Converse and her favourite pieces!

We sat down with Martine Ali, at

Hi Martine, so funnily enough, I actually walked past you earlier today ,in Shoreditch?

Oh no way! So although I’ve been to London a few times, I actually had some time today to really look around! I would like to go back to Shoreditch, as its a neighbourhood, that I would love to explore more!

Oh yes its definitely a cool creative area, I would say its like the Williamsburg of London, are you staying in East London?

No I am actually staying in central London, but I went to visit, as the store H Town is stocking my jewellery and wanted to see the store in person.

Is that you’re only stockist in London? No I also sell in Selfridges!

Well thats two great places to be selling from, both unique in their own right, H Town is more curated and then Selfridges, where you cater to all types of customers.

Exactly, and I feel kind of like, for me, it can't be either or, because I felt like certain products feel really good in a place like H Town, and there are some things that just feel right in a Selfridges environment. I think it's really nice to be able to cater to both kinds of audiences. For me its not about a certain type of person wearing my jewellery, its more like the state of mind.

I love the piece, (a beautiful silver chunky necklace) your currently wearing, it’s giving like French - baroque vibes, I just can’t take my eyes off it - popping it on my #Wishlist!

Ha thank you! Whats funny, is that I’ve paired it with this (Big silver chain). I was so extra on the Jewels today - Interestingly this piece is something that I do all the time and then this was part of a specific collection, so its nice to have them paired together.

I mean, its defiantly giving “Jewellery designer” vibes..

Haha I went crazy today - was just like MORE JEWELS!

So is Converse your first collaboration?

Yes it is and I think, what's been really cool is that everybody has a relationship to Converse. It's just like one of those brands, that everyone's either worn or known someone who has worn them, so it was really fun to kind of like play in that space and I think it just been a really nice partnership because of it’s very specific silhouettes and styles that have so much history. So it's been cool to be able to put my own spin on that.

Did you start with a blank canvas or an existing style, that you knew you wanted to adapt and make your own?

Yeah we started with a style and kind of worked within that, I wanted to do, well my dream was to do a pointy toed Chuck! However Converse we're like “No, we are not ready yet.”

That's interesting because I think they could look good. Yeh I think it'd be awesome. Yes, trend wise, we’ve seen the square toe shape, but no one's taken a trainer and made it pointy as of yet… Maybe that will be the 3rd collaboration with you! Exactly.. Fingers crossed!

Also for this collaboration, you’ve not only got the 2 shoe styles but some apparel pieces, was this your choice or a further conversation with Converse?

It was a conversation with Converse and I think for me, as I'm very much interested in the idea of the uniform that I am wearing at the studio, while I working. Then like life and what's after that. How we dress and move from the workplace into our lives. So it felt important, to create lifestyle pieces that felt reminiscent of a studio wardrobe. So not traditional work wear, although we really leaned into it. For instance, we had a lot of welding references and as a result we ended up with a really beautiful black jacket that is supposed to be reminiscent of a welding jacket. The bottom of the jacket snaps off of the top and as a result, it can be like a really cute cropped moment or a longer jacket. It was great to take these workwear elements and move them into an all black, chic space!

“Yes, I think its cool to have like one thing, that can be lots of things. This is a design principle, that I play alot with, within my jewellery ”

— MARTINE ALI

I love this concept, I think the shoes along with the clothing in this collaboration are giving, multi - purpose, perfect for the customer who is wearing the look from day to evening..

Exactly, its kind of like the convertibility and pieces being modular. Allowing the wearer to be more creative with the piece, which is really important. So that was something I wanted to make sure the shoes had, but especially when it came to the clothing, because there is alot more flexibility there.

Which of the shoe styles Chuck 70 De Luxe Wedge or Chuck 70 XXHi is your personal favourite?

Oh thats really hard, because I love them both for different reasons. The wedge style is more practical of the two and I can see more people wearing them. Then the ones I’m wearing (Chuck 70 XXHi) is more specific, bit more me - as there is metal + hardware on it. This shoe for me, does feel more special, as we actually developed the metal hardware around the vintage belt buckles that I was playing with in the Jewellery space. So this shoe actually feels like it has more of my jewellery infused.

Yes, I actually feel out of the two designs, this one feels quintessentially Martine Ali! I think it’s the large silver pieces and the design that makes me think of your jewellery. I actually wanted to ask you, is there a reason you predominately work in silver?

Well I do have some gold pieces, but because I like large pieces, like really really large. Whenever I’m designing something, I always make, the biggest piece first, and then I’ll kind of like, trickle that concept down into things that feel a bit more everyday, for everybody. So in terms of making really huge gold jewellery like your bracelet, which is gorgeous and insane - I keep looking at it, although when I do it, pieces in gold they tend to feel like Mr T, Rapper Chains and I am just not that, into it.

Will you be doing any more collaborations with Converse?

I would really, really, LOVE TO! I have some very clear visions in my mind of what I’d love to do.

Has this experience in partnering with Converse, made you feel like you could diversify your designs into other areas, like your own shoes or apparel?

Absolutely! I feel like pandora’s box has been busted open and I am super excited to explore different products and materials. Similar to what we discussed earlier, I think its really cool to take design principles and that of what I am doing with jewellery to different spaces.