[An edited version of this interview first appeared in Issue 23 of The Fluevog Post for Fall/Winter 2024.]
The Fall/Winter ’24 collection in three words:
Playful. Dreamy. Fresh.
What’s your creative process like?
Our design process is fluid and highly collaborative. As a small team of designers and developers, we work closely with John and our talented makers, ensuring every dream becomes a reality. John is a natural storyteller, often beginning his silhouette designs with a name or a message. Our team takes his ideas and translates them into visual boards, incorporating mood images, colour palettes, and materials we’ve sourced.
Key inspirations behind the FW24 collection:
This season, we’ve created four distinct yet cohesive “moods”, each with its own story and aesthetic. Inspirations and themes for these mini collections include punk-doll and romantic-rebel references, playful pop culture and cartoonification, mystical botanical elements, and last but not least, metallic gold sculptures and gold leaf art and paintings — the latter of which John is particularly fond of.
How would you describe this collection using only emojis?
If this collection had a theme song, what would it be?
All In The Golden Afternoon – Alice In Wonderland (1951)
You can learn a lot of things from the flowers / For especially in the month of June / There’s a wealth of happiness and romance / All in the golden afternoon
Some challenges or best memories from this season:
We are thrilled to release our first-ever rain boot for FW24, a project we’ve been trying to bring to life for a long time. We also expanded development and production in Brazil, my home country, making this season a particularly special and memorable experience for me.
How do you balance staying true to the Fluevog aesthetic with current trends?
We don’t incorporate trends the same way fast fashion companies do, but we do acknowledge social and behavioural trends. Even if this acknowledgment leads us to do the opposite, it’s always a conscious choice. We sell feelings, and to connect with our customers, we need to stay connected to what’s happening around the world.
Tell us about your inspirations — personal or professional.
Makers and all sorts of handcrafted objects and techniques. I love exploring different material surfaces, textiles, and knits. Colours inspire me deeply. I tend to wear a lot of black, probably to balance out my intense connection to and passion for colours. Flowers are another major inspiration for me — their perfect and sometimes unpredictable combo of textures, patterns, and colours never ceases to amaze me.
Favourite hobbies:
I work in a creative field so even in my free time I find myself immersed in work-related research and exploration. It may sound unusual, but I genuinely enjoy it. Whether it’s staying updated on the latest design trends, discovering new materials, or seeking inspiration from various sources, this ongoing learning and creativity keeps me inspired and passionate about what I do.
Proudest moment at Fluevog:
The Lady Gaga + Cubist Cupcake moment was pretty magical. I was in Paris for a trade show and after a long day, my colleague and I were walking by the river when a band with saxophones and trumpets started playing “Born This Way”. It was such a surreal moment. When we got back to the hotel, I opened an email from Stephen, our CMO, with photos of Gaga wearing the Cubist Cupcake boots — one of my first upper designs in that family and one of my favourite Fluevog silhouettes. It felt like everything came together perfectly.
Favourite memory at Fluevog?
Flummunity Fests are filled with memories and sweet connections. I’m so grateful for the genuine bonds formed between Fluevogers at these events. I signed a boot for the first time last year. 🥹
If you could design a shoe for a fictional character, who would it be?
Edward Scissorhands, Aunty Entity (Tina Turner in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)), Barbarella, Bella Baxter, or a character from “Monster High” (my daughter says they would love Fluevogs). Cinderella’s crystal shoe, despite all its magic, didn’t stay on, and she didn’t even come back for it when she lost it. I would love to redesign it and add a twist to that story.
Most unexpected source of inspiration for a shoe design?
Maybe the Shaguar family!? It had so many layers of references, from John’s custom Jaguar car to the curves and details inspired by animals and anatomy. It had to be both sexy and weird.
Favourite shoe style or family?
The OG Munsters and Swordfish always, but also the Munster Max, Stand Up, Skyhigh F, and now the new Angelica family. ❤️🔥
