Fashion

Vancouver shops: August notes

Colourful bangles, fall’s best bags and 10 minutes with shoe legend John Fleuvog.

10-minute chat: John Fluevog

John Fluevog’s quirky shoes (I’d recognize that iconic heel anywhere) are being fêted in an exhibition titled Fox, Fluevog & Friends at the Museum of Vancouver, to mark the brand’s 40th anniversary (until Sept. 26; museumofvancouver.ca). I sat down with the man himself.

Can you give me the Coles Notes version of your story? “I was in partnership with Peter Fox for 10 years for Fox and Fluevog, and then I bought him out and started to do younger shoes. And that’s, kind of, what I’ve been doing for most of my career.”

Fluevogs are often associated with a particular style. Is this accurate? “There are some core pieces that just keep on selling that we’ve become known for. It’s a blessing and a bit of a curse, but I’ve never had anything that has overwhelmed the brand and completely taken it over. I’ve done the Angel sole for over 20 years, but it has not overshadowed my ability to do other things.”

How important are trends to you? “I try not to follow what’s going on, but I do. I work reasonably hard at making whatever I do not look like everyone else’s. It’s a little more lonely, but I think it’s what has given the brand and my name longevity. I go into stores now, and they all look the same. And I shake my head and go, ‘I don’t know how these people do this.’ And I’m sure they go into my store, shake their heads and go, ‘How does John Fluevog do this?’”

People don’t realize that Fluevog is an actual person. “No, I think because my name is strange, and my shoes are a little off.”

Do you wear Fluevogs? “I do. Every day.”

First published in FASHION Magazine August 2010

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