We really liked Carrie’s ideas and found that it fit something we had already been brewing up in the Fluevog dungeon. The heart-shaped details really worked well with the Hi Choice we were conceptualizing and took the heart details as inspiration. You can see the heart heel on all Hi Choice Family members. But enough of us chatting away, let’s hand it over to Carrie:
I currently own four pairs of Fluevogs. My collection started with a pair of classic “Angelic” swirl boots which I still wear (although I’ve since sworn off the thigh-high black stockings and miniskirts that used to be de rigeur with the boots). I’ve always been as crazy about Fluevog’s off-the-wall participative marketing ideas as I am about your fabulous footwear. In 2000, Fluevog released the disturbing news that John Fluevog had been kidnapped by Satan, and offered a reward of “free shoes for life” to the devoted Fluevoger who could devise the best plan to save John from the hellfires of damnation. Spurned on by a burning desire to save my shoe hero from Satan’s evil grasp (not to mention the irresistible carrot of FREE VOGS for life), I sent in my cunning plan in the form of an illustrated poem about shimmying down a rope of shoelaces tied together to get to John in hell. Anyway, I was out-rhymed by a rap about how to save Fluevog, but placed in the top 20 in the contest, which got me a free pair of Unity sandals for my efforts.
Ever since then I’ve been a sucker for your creative contests and challenges, and couldn’t resist sending in an idea for your very fun Open Source promotion! I knew immediately that my design would involve some top stitching, and, in my head, I always saw the design in red and black. The idea of leaving a heart-shaped imprint seemed fun and whimsical and like something I’d love to wear, and I’m glad it appealed to the shoe-gods at Fluevog. I came up with the idea and drew it in an evening. It was really exciting to see my idea become a real live shoe. And surprise of surprises, I was even interviewed about the experience for an article in the National Post (November 6, 2004), which was something of a minor thrill.
About a year ago, I decided that it was time to get out of the uber-boring insurance industry where I had been working (in marketing) for too long. I spiffed up my resume by adding “shoe designer” for Fluevog, and ended up getting a job in an architectural practice!
I bought myself a pair of shoes from the “Hi Choice” family (the Kristen, with “my” heart shaped heel) to celebrate. When I’m not wearing them, I keep them on a bookcase at home for all to see.
Thank-shoe for the opportunity, and for your damn fine footwear.
