It was a mystery to me for a long time. How could I be a shoe fanatic, live in Vancouver not own a single pair of fluevog shoes? Fluevog is a local shoe designer that makes unique shoes for both men and women favoured by celebrities like Madonna. Fluevog shoes are creative and unique, they are clearly well made, the price given the quality is cheap, they even make shoes in my favourite shoe color – orange. So how come, despite my many shoe purchasing adventures I never bought a pair?

Believe me, I tried. I walked into the Fluevog store on Granville street many times. Carefully surveyed the stock and tried on different shoes, but somehow despite my best effort, never found that one pair that made my blood rush through my veins, my heart skip a beat and my soul rumble with rage at the unfairness of living life without such shoes. Each time I walked out of the Fluevog store, I thought “That is ok, I just haven’t found the right Fluevog yet” consoling myself that a Fluevog solemate was in my future, I just needed to keep the faith. Years passed and yet no such encounter happened.

I truly admire Mr. Fluevog for his courage in starting his unique shoe design in a town where everybody claims to believe in democracy and individualism yet dresses the same like they just emerged straight out Mao’s Chinese revolution. In a town where its inhabitants have a phobia of individual style, John Fluevog is a true radical. The fact that he is successful is a true inspirational story of flare winning over mediocrity. Creativity beating down conformity. I completely dig what he is doing. Intellectually, I totally dig Fluevog shoes, yet the reality is that I don’t own any.

So when I read that the Museum of Vancouver was holding a Fluevog exhibit, I decided it was a good opportunity to explore this baffling mystery. I agree with the concept that shoes are a work of art and the thought of going to an exhibit of shoe design felt right. I have to say that I enjoyed my visit. Below are a few pics that I took and yes I finally figured out why no Fluevog has ever entered my shoe closet.

Turns out that Mr. Fluevog started out designing shoes for men and expanded into shoes for women at a later point. All his shoe designs have a strong male energy. They have thick soles, they look like they are made for kicking somebody or stomping something. I like all that, but I need some feminine touch to balance it out. In the exhibit the visitor is invited to make up their own design, I doodled something on a piece of paper which I posted on the ideas board. Later when I came home I refined that I idea a bit and I entered it into the Fluevog website where anybody can enter their ideas.

Who knows, perhaps a Fluevog solemate is in my future after all.

now read part 2 – where my fluevog solemate finds me.