Charli XCX On Her Converse Collab: “I Wanted To Make It More About Me. Obviously.”

Getting face time with any pop star is a challenge, especially so if you’re tapping in with Charli XCX. That’s why, when I Zoom in to talk with her about her Converse by You collection, I’m not surprised to see that the woman behind some of our favorite trends, songs, and music videos isn’t taking calls from a beautifully appointed press-junket room, but rather some anonymous trailer — she’s far too busy (and Brat) for that. Between several film projects, her wedding, and the continuation of Brat summer, there are enough projects to keep her busy well into the next decade. Why not add a Converse collection in the mix?

Mrs. XCX has been subtly teasing her joint collection with the high-top purveyors for a few months now, wearing them on the streets of Los Angeles and starring in a few campaigns. This launch, however, is new territory: She’s made several of her own custom Chuck Taylors as part of the label’s By You experience, just in time for the last few moments of Brat summer, the redux. Keeping in line with the minimal, brutalist aesthetic of the era, the hero colors are black and white with “angel,” “360,” and “party girl” subtly printed on the logo patches and soles. There are also softer tones like a dusty “Bridal Rose” (very fitting), and a muted tan (Brown Rice). Need a little key? There are “brat” carabiners attached to the pull straps, should you need to... er... “unlock it.”

The best part of the collection is its versatility: Besides the premade shoes, Charli’s curated selections give fans room to express their chosen party-girl vibe with different word placements and colors. For the campaign, Charli recruited Petra Collins (the same photographer who captured her for Skims) for effervescent, strikingly simple visuals in a wet warehouse and by a snowy riverbank. (The images call to mind her “Hot Girl” lyrics: “But I’m goin’ skiing even when the slopes are closed / Cause I’m so hot with snow up my nose.”) Not only are the design elements tongue-in-cheek and bratty, they’re an accessible Charli-approved way to buy into the Brat aesthetic that don’t feel overplayed.

Below, NYLON had an exclusive phone call with Charli to talk about designing her own high-tops, who she imagines wearing them, and what kind of summer she wants to have.

Why a shoe collection with Converse, and why now?

I've always worn Converse. I have an old pair of Converse that I got, God, I don’t even know, 10 years ago that have holes in them, and I love wearing them. It’s a classic, timeless shoe, and it’s always been a part of my wardrobe, even though I like to wear some more out-there stuff. I love pairing it with a classic item, whether that is a classic leather jacket or something that is a staple piece that doesn’t follow any type of trend cycle. It’s always reliable and always there. I have a few items like that in my wardrobe that I work into my outfits, and I wanted to have my own shoe. I wanted to make it more about me. Obviously.

I like the soles; they bring the brutalist Brat vibe to the shoe. What was the inspiration behind putting a design on the sole versus all over the canvas? It’s more subtle, an “if you know, you know” sort of thing.

Yeah, totally. It’s a continuation of the language of Brat. The whole beginning of the campaign was following the Brat ethos: having the private Instagram, leaving hints, not putting something totally in your face. With the design of the shoe, it’s such a bold, monochromatic, and in-your-face design, but the fact that it is on the sole, it’s this hidden little thing. I like that the logo is being walked through the dark; that feels very inherently Brat. There’s an element of destruction to the placement, which I really like. It feels like the ethos of the campaign to put the logo there.

I’m excited to see how fans will wear them, and I’m excited to see you wear them on stage. Do you have any memories of musicians wearing Converse that stick out to you?

I think my first true interaction with Converse was when I was younger, going through my emo phase. Avril Lavigne used to wear them a lot, and the bands I was listening to around that time. I definitely went through my Sum 41 phase, and the shoe was always around in that scene.

I wanted to have my own shoe. I wanted to make it more about me. Obviously.

They were all wearing them with skinny jeans. I don’t know if we’ll see you in those.

You won’t. I don’t know if I could pull it off, but God bless the people who can.

We’ll leave that to Avril. You and Chris Horan have honed in on your stage looks, and seeing all the girls dressed up at Barclays as you were so cute. You’re a full year into Brat, so this summer, what are you looking forward to wearing that might be a little different, or wearing with the Converse day to day?

I’m hoping I’ll be in the sun all summer, so I can just be in a bikini. I’ve been upping my collection of Velvet Underground T-shirts and Lou Reed T-shirts. I just got a great old Sally Can’t Dance Lou Reed shirt. The thing about stage clothes that Chris and I wanted to do is that it needs to feel like not stage clothes in a way; that’s the rule. It should never feel like pop star; it’s just what I would wear going out. Whether that is a cute look by All-In, whether that is oversized jeans and my Converse, whether that’s a staple black boot, it should always feel like I’m about to walk off stage and go out. I’ll probably do more of that through the summer.

A little All-In dress with Converse would be a cute summer moment, or with a polka-dot skirt.

Yes! You read my mind. So cute.

You have your own festival, Lido, coming up. Out of anyone from the lineup, who would you want to style in your Converse?

He doesn’t need styling — especially not by me — but I would love to see Bladee in the Converse. I think he has such great style. I’m definitely going to send him all the pairs. I really like his look, and it embodies his artistry and the way he’s always drawing. I would like to see George in a pair as well, but his feet are probably too big. He has to buy weird shoes. Sorry, TMI?

No, he’s a big guy, so that makes sense. You’ve given us a lot of options for more “summers” in your set outros. As of right now, today, in the makeup chair, what summer are you feeling?

Well, I know the answer I probably should give, but I think the people have to decide whose summer it is. I don’t think it belongs to one person. I think everybody’s having their own personal summer. I’m definitely going to have my own summer again, and anybody’s welcome to join.

The Charli XCX x Converse by You experience launches exclusively on converse.com at 10 a.m. ET Aug. 5.