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LOOPED
CONVERSE ONE STAR RETURNS
By Nic Hayman, 20 February 2018
The Converse One Star is hard to pin down. A baby of the 70s, it’s since been an icon of everything from skate to grunge, via cult Japanese streetwear. While it may have dropped off the radar for a time, it’s now officially back and making plenty of noise.
And who better to help welcome it loudly back onto the scene than artist Ama Lou. With too much talent to lock into a single discipline – think writing, filmmaking and production – her only defining feature is that she’s rebelliously undefinable, much like our sneaker of the moment, which makes her the natural curator for our latest One Star campaign. Off set, we caught up to chat all things Converse and (bear with us) how to be a disruptive creator in an ego-driven world.
What comes to mind when you look at the One Star?
They’re adaptable. Mouldable. They don’t overpower my other clothes, they fit in with them. They look old, in a good way. Vintage. It’s a cool shoe. It’s alternative. It’s versatile.
What do you like about Converse?
They have history and I’m obsessed with the history of brands and clothes. I feel like Converse has never compromised on its ethos. Pop culture has changed so much over the years and they’ve never moved away from their place towards the hype. They’ve stayed true to what they represent and the people they represent.
Do you have any memories of Converse – like, when did you get your first pair?
When I was, maybe, five years old, my mum bought my dad some Chucks – they were these camo ones – and he wore them to the ground. I just always thought they were the sickest shoes. And he used to wear them to play basketball, too, even though by then there were way more technical basketball shoes out there! I had to get a pair after that – pink ones when I was seven, or 10, or something. And then I bought another pair with my own money when I was 13 – with my own money! The low white ones that all the girls used to wear.
Where do you get inspiration from to start a new project?
It’s kind of miscellaneous. I try not to covet anything. I feel like that can be detrimental, especially if you believe in what you do. I go in the studio, with people I like – great people with good energy – and I’ll just start writing and then projects usually form from that.
Pictures: ASOS
We tend to think that our human selves are the ultimate, that we’re the best thing, but actually it’s our higher selves, our aura – it’s intangible. So we often get in the way of ourselves, especially with ego. The universe will create for you if you ask for it and have that intention, but ego stops that final product from being as light as it can be and the best it can be. No human coveting. When I’m writing, when I’m creating, it’s not me anymore, it’s not Ama. It’s not my human self.
What is the most important part of your artistry?
Gut feeling. 100%. If it doesn’t sit well in my stomach, I can’t do it. Trust yourself, trust the other. It’s about feeling what’s the best thing, not thinking what is the best thing.
