ceci.monge/TikTok
- TikTok user Cecilia Monge accused sneaker brand Converse of stealing her designs.
- She says the Chuck 70 style looks like a pitch she sent the company in an internship application.
- Converse denies the accusation.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
On Sunday, designer Cecilia Monge shared a video on TikTok comparing Converse's Chuck 70 National Parks design to a pitch she shared with the company back in 2019.
In the video, Monge said she had applied for a design internship with Converse two years ago. As a part of her application, Monge attached a pitch deck showcasing her ideas for national park-inspired shoe designs and color schemes.
In an emailed statement to Insider, representatives for Converse confirmed Monge did, in fact, apply for the internship in 2019, but "was not hired or screened for any roles."
The company representatives also said that the application did not include a request made by Converse for portfolios or samples to be submitted by applicants.
"I got really excited about it - really wanted the internship - so I went above and beyond," Monge said in her video.
She understood that a portfolio and pitch were not required, but wanted to show the company just how much she wanted the position by doing extra work.
Monge said she didn't get the internship and "never heard back from them" after applying.
Converse
The designer shared two of the three colorways used for the National Parks collection which has since been removed from the Converse US website (one pair is on sale for $140 through the Australian online shop), and pointed out similarities between the retail shoe and her design.
"I don't think it's a coincidence," Monge said on TikTok of the color palettes.
"In October 2020, we released a Chuck 70 design, which took inspiration from the map patterns of Nor'easter storms," Converse's representatives told Insider. "It was first concepted and designed in April 2019."
In Monge's second video posted on Sunday, she shows followers a screengrab of her application dated November 2019.
The company's The Great Outdoors line dropped in early May and includes several versions of shoes and apparel that it says is inspired by nature. There's also a customizable line of three shoes each available for $105, one of which Monge called out for looking very similar to her Yellowstone-inspired pitch.
"I'm currently feeling overwhelmed but I appreciate the immense show of support I have received," Monge wrote in an email to Insider. "Many people have come forward about things like this happening to them and I am glad people are feeling more comfortable speaking about their experiences."
In a third video, Monge said that her experience isn't unique among young designers. She said that TikTok user @nevawhite suggested affected designers start using the hashtag #designersspeakup to talk about similar experiences.
She also confirmed that Converse had reached out to her to explain their design. Monge said Converse told her the Chuck 70 Nor'easter was first concepted in November 2018 and designed in April 2019. The company told Insider it was "concepted and designed in April 2019."
