Converse Sues to Protect Its Chuck Taylor All Stars

First came the athletes, then the greasers. Then came the nonconformists, the teenagers and finally the baby boomers. The shoe manufacturer Converse has sold its brand of cool and whiff of rebellion to generations of Americans.

Now Converse, the century-old American footwear maker, says some of the core elements of its widely recognizable Chuck Taylor sneakers—black stripes and a rubber toe topper—are being co-opted by Walmart, Kmart, Skechers and others. And it is taking them to court, accusing 31 companies of trademark infringement in 22 separate lawsuits filed Tuesday in United States District Court in Brooklyn.