John Fluevog shoes

Shoes. Let’s get some shoes. John Fluevog shoes, that is. Freshly opened this month is John Fluevog’s world headquarters that popped up in his old stomping grounds of Gastown in Vancouver, BC.

Back in the 1970s, Fluevog set up shop along these cobblestone streets only to become one of the world’s most popular shoe designers, with fans ranging from Madonna and Marilyn Manson to Robert Altman and the Scissor Sisters.

Some have called his work “rebellious footwear” while others call the art-deco inspired styles “fashionable yet functional.” Either way, his shoes are a mainstay on the international footwear scene and with the new flagship store open, he’s making himself quite at home.

The store itself is a magnificent two-story parking lot turned cathedral with huge glass windows overlooking Vancouver’s railyards and the North Shore mountains as a backdrop.

With displays made from “reclaimed old growth wood, propped up by salvaged pipe from the Alaska pipeline,” the space is environmentally conscious as well as beautiful. Portuguese shoe leather adorns the back wall while a “Green Wall” is being planned where plants will grow up the side of the neighbouring building.

For more information, visit www.fluevog.com.