By Cam Delisle
The Hamilton-based singer-songwriter reimagines “Mambo No. 5” through a sun-warped lens on her dizzying new video single.
For iconic Vancouver footwear powerhouse John Fluevog, teaming up with the electric Olivia Jean was a decision made with no second thought. Fluevog’s Stand Up line champions those (like Jean) who dare to redefine style, propelling it into uncharted territory. “The shoes have a personality,” Fluevog explains, further elaborating that the bold nature of his new line’s “Olivia” boot is one that he feels strongly aligns with the garage-rock star’s. “Bold, yet simple,” Jean adds, authentically echoing Fluevog’s design philosophy.
Jean experimented with her audacious sense of style long before her marriage to Jack White. Growing up in a Detroit environment where her peers were heavily influenced by the 1960s, bouffants and go-go boots stood in for a high school uniform. Still, a subtle undercurrent of punk rock was surely felt. “I guess I’m punk?” she jokes, interpreting it as an output for authenticity and interpretation, two concepts notably at the forefront of this collaboration. Other notable inspirations to Jean’s aesthetic include the B-52’s and, though she admits it’s caused some ribbing, Austin Powers.
The “Olivia” boot is available in two colour options: hot pink and black. It’s a deliberate choice reflecting Jean’s wardrobe, which is almost entirely made up of these two shades. “I have very few things to wear to the grocery store,” she notes, though we have a strong feeling she’d still pull off a magenta leather pantsuit in the produce aisle without missing a beat.
She continues by explaining her desire that the boots make wearers feel “comfortable yet sassy at the same time.” Fluevog lays it out in a blunter manner: “They’re not made for pussies.” The pair nod in agreement, landing on an unofficial tagline that sums up the collaboration to a tee: “Instant Badass.”
By Cam Delisle
The Hamilton-based singer-songwriter reimagines “Mambo No. 5” through a sun-warped lens on her dizzying new video single.
By Ben Boddez
The former YouTube star and sonic experimentalist’s latest set of tracks takes influence from global musical cultures and follows a sailor lost at sea.
By Megan Magdalena
The LA psych-punk shapeshifters on the special bond of friendship and the electric energy that fuels their legendary live shows.