HAVEN / Converse Chuck 70 Editorial

A timeworn greenhouse sits among native grasses, scattered wood shavings, and the weathered structure of an institutional modernist building. It is an unconventional setting for an artist’s studio, but one that reflects Graham Landin’s approach to making. A visual artist and carpenter, Landin draws from classical antiquity, folk art, and modernist design, working with materials sourced from his surroundings to create sculptures, furniture, and architectural forms. Since moving his studio to the property in 2018, he has incorporated the chainsaw into his practice, using it to establish broad forms before refining each piece with traditional woodworking tools as needed. Throughout the process, the natural grain, irregularities, and imperfections of the wood help guide the final form. This appreciation for honest materials and purposeful construction finds a parallel in the HAVEN / Converse Chuck 70. A heritage silhouette reworked through a considered approach to utility, the shoe retains the familiar proportions of the original while introducing a tonal, tactile interplay between smooth cashmere suede and contrasting hairy suede. A lateral side zip adds functional ease without disrupting the understated design. As with Landin’s practice, its character emerges through the relationship between material and form. The result is a familiar archetype refined through subtle intervention, where traditional craftsmanship and contemporary utility exist in quiet balance.