Fashion

This John Fluevog and Zandra Rhodes Collab Is Boldly Colourful and Wildly Fun

Shoes so beautiful, you’ll want to put them on display.

By Dani Wright / June 14, 2022

Few shoe designers are more iconic than Vancouver’s John Fluevog—and now with his collab with equally iconic textile designer Zandra Rhodes, we’ve got a match made in shoe heaven (sole-mates, if you will). The pair are independently known for subverting design expectations, breaking down walls and setting the standards for forward thinking, unique style for decades.

We sat down with Fluevog and Rhodes to discuss their innovative collab, and discovered the pair have a deep reverence for the other’s work. Their union began over twenty-five years ago in New York, says Rhodes, when she bought her first pair of Fluevogs (in true Rhodes fashion, she made a green velvet suit to match her green suede shoes). Since then, they have been circling each other’s careers, but it wasn’t until 2020 that they finally decided to take the plunge.

When 2020 grounded everyone, Rhodes and Fluevog worked together over Zoom, only meeting in person for the first time last week for the launch of their collection. Despite the physical distance, Fluevog says that choosing to work with Rhodes was easy. “There aren’t lot of people around like Rhodes, who are still working, still independent and are as well-known as she is,” he says.

Rhodes agrees that their partnership came naturally. “We both started off in the 1960s, and both brands are very original,” she says. “So, it’s a lovely little union made in heaven.”

The bold collection that captures everything we love about both artists. Fluevog says that from the beginning, the pair knew that they wanted to create legacy pieces, pieces that are meant to last and can be collected. In fact, adds Rhodes, the intention is that buyers can display the shoes as well as wear them.

In their journey to create shoes that will stand the test of time, the duo looked to the past. The limited-edition collection combines some of Fluevog’s most iconic shapes with Rhodes’ most celebrated prints in brand new colourways, in an effort to capture both of their careers.

A perfect example is the redesign of the Munster Max, one of Fluevog’s most quintessential styles. The pair revived the ’90s classic in Rhodes’ Ruffle Lady Miss print (pictured above). In addition to the uniquely Rhodes print, the sole was updated the to reflect the pink ruffled ribbon design.

The collection, like all Fluevog shoes, is made in small batches in old world factories with a very limited number of each design. Whether you’re looking to collect the iconic designs or pair them with your favourite ’fit, the full collection is now available both in store and online.