The first artist to do a collaboration with the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star II was the pioneering New York graffiti artist Leonard Hilton McGurr known as Futura. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Futura began to garner attention for his bold mixing of text and abstract imagery. Over the years Futura has participated in a number of sneaker collaborations but the Chuck Taylor All Star II was his first time working with Converse. Using the rubberized upper as a canvas, he embellished the sneakers with his signature graphics. Inspirational words are also incorporated throughout the design.