XOX Converse
Fanzine, Nicole Gruszecki, instagram.com/nicole_brideofthecreature, $3
Converse have truly become affiliated as the most DIY shoes out there. At some point we have all worn some Chucks. I feel like this is likely true of zinesters. Nicole Gruszecki’s XOX Converse zine takes you through their life in Converse, from their first pair to their latest. Each beautifully drawn pair shows the folds, the scuffs, the dirt and the life each shoe had. It’s a very fun journey.
I clearly remember my first pair (classic black and white high tops) and so many pairs that came after (especially my Emily the Strange pair, turquoise, purple, all black, red, classics again, army green, grey) and even when I thought I was done with Chucks, a pair of low top classics came into my life recently. I adore them.
Measuring our lives in daily use objects is such a lovely way to approach a zine. Gruszecki brought a flood of nostalgia for all the Chucks I’ve loved and lost. Peeking through their life in Converse was a joy, one that I would encourage others to partake in. After all, Chucks are the shoes of arty weirdos and who hasn’t doodled random song lyrics and lines of poetry on the toes and sides of their soles?