FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1999. All Rights Reserved

Fashion by Carla Daluka I’m going to be honest with you. I am one of those people who complain about the lack of footwear stores in this city, yet, miraculously, I have managed to fill three closets with approximately 80 pairs of shoes that reflect the trends of the last few years. The styles range from go-go boots to creepers to heels to sneakers. With so much variety, how could I still feel that there is nowhere to shop? Stores like The Source, Mission Sno & Ski and Echo House are great for sneakers and flip flops, but my search for something less casual continued. Apparently I am not the only person who can never own enough stylish shoes, and the result is Purr – the latest addition to the 17th Avenue shopping experience carries a small amount of clothing, but the focus is definitely on footwear. Proprietor Jenny Falconer, who also operates Blue Light, says the decision to open the store was dictated by the customers. "When we first opened Blue Light on 16th Avenue N.W., I never dreamed this would come from it. But, the customers have told me they are in need of more variety in footwear." And there is a lot more choice than there used to be. Falconer says the biggest trends right now for women are sneakers and anything Asian-inspired (i.e. wooden thongs and shoes with dragons on them). "I think for a long time skate shops were carrying sneakers in smaller sizes, but they weren’t really designed for girls. Now a company like Sugar, which is primarily a clothing line, has branched out and is making great sneakers and other footwear just for women," Falconer explains. "It’s getting a lot more common for clothing companies to extend into footwear. For me, shoes are like accessories, so it only makes sense to carry the whole line." Shoe lines available at Purr include Puma, Sanuk, Royal Elastics, Swear and NYLA (for men and women), Fly London, Sugar, Ark, Dollhouse and Rocketdog (for the ladies). "We’ll be carrying about nine other labels in the fall, and definitely pursuing more on the men’s side – their trends don’t seem to change that much, but we’d like to offer them a bit more variety." The customer feedback has definitely been positive, with several visitors commenting that the store is exactly what they need. As for upcoming trends, look for a lot more felts (as opposed to suede or leather) and flannel-esque shoes. Slip-on boots and shoes with very flat soles are getting more popular, as are sneakers for both men and women. And my personal prediction? Hightops for spring 2000. So, if you’re looking for a sassy something to slip your tootsies into, check out Purr and tell them Carla sent you.

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