If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what everyday stuff famous people add to their carts — like hair spray or an electric toothbrush. We asked shoe designer John Fluevog about the old-fashioned coffee grinder, drafting pencil, and Australian underwear he can’t live without.
I draw every day, and if I don’t have this pencil in my hand or close to me, I have a nervous fit. I think draftspeople use it. Wherever I go, I have to have my pencil. I love the feel of it, the weight of it, and I love the fact it’s wider at the top so I can hold it farther back and sketch with it. And obviously it’s mechanical, so I don’t have to sharpen it. It’s a little thing — it’s not terribly expensive or anything, but it’s a real pleasure to use.
This sweatshirt is from a Japanese brand, and the way the Japanese reinterpret American culture caught my attention. They’ve taken this, what I call a greaser, sort of ’50s logo, and they’ve interpreted it in a Japanese way, which I find humorous. Of course I’m into cars and automotive things, but an automotive person wouldn’t wear a shirt like this. So it’s just a little quirky. The quality’s really good. A lot of Japanese things are great quality. I’ve had it for a number of years and I wear it a lot — it’s always my go-to. It’s simple, it’s easy, and I like being a gearhead.
There’s a ritual one has when getting up in the morning, and part of that ritual is to use this lovely hand grinder. It’s made in Germany, and it’s made so well. You can infinitely adjust the grind on it. It doesn’t have settings, it’s got a little knob at the bottom, and you set it to where you want it. I prefer that over pressing a button. When you grind it, it’s got a lovely feel to it in your hands. It’s heavy. It’s not a light thing. It’s very tactile.
I like this coffee-maker because it’s happy. It’s a beautiful baby-blue color and the shape is quite retro. The function for making steam works very well, but it’s a visual experience, too, and everything fits nicely on it. I’m a very visual person. I really enjoy waking up to it.
The Trans-Canada Highway goes from one end of Canada to the other, and at the very end of it there’s a little place called Lund with a beautiful little harbor. These sweaters are made right there in this tiny village. What I like about them is how well they hang. It has great weight to it. It’s thick, so it’s a good outdoors sweater. I wouldn’t call it a particularly fashionable sweater, but it’s a great everyday sweater. They’ve held up really well, for probably four or five years now.
[Editor’s note: Pollen Sweaters lists its prices in Canadian dollars, so the cost is an approximation of U.S. dollars.]
I got these sunglasses in New York. They’re a beautiful dark blue color. They’re solid, they’re heavy, and they’re opaque. The lenses are quite dark, but they also have a see-through translucent quality. You can see depths and changes of color, which I like. I like the style, the fit, the feel, and the comfort of them.
I haven’t had them that long, maybe eight months or so. A friend of mine bought them for me, and I think of him when I wear them. For me, the memory of where you got it, and who you were with when you got it, can also be important with an object.
I’m a sparkling-water freak. I’m trying to drink more water because it’s good for me, and one of the ways I’m doing that is to use the SodaStream. I’ll mix in any juices I drink, or if I’m taking any pills or vitamins, I always drink them with my SodaStream. I’ll even take it with me in my car.
I found Bonds when I was opening my store in Australia. They fit so well and last so long — they don’t get thin and they stay the same shape. I’ve tried a lot of different underwear, but these I will go to great lengths to get. I get friends to bring it over. It seems odd to do that with underwear, but it’s my little quirk. Maybe it’s because they’re made in Australia and they’re hard to find, so they’re unusual for me. I like unusual things.
I’ve been using this rowing machine for five or six years — I get on it about three times a week. It’s got water in it, so it’s quiet but makes a lovely swishing noise. And it’s all wood, so I don’t feel like I’m in some metallic ’80s gym or something. It’s got more of a natural look. I don’t really like exercising, I have to say. In fact, I hate exercising. So I like the fact that I can get on this thing and it’s a gentle way to exercise and it has a nice sound and feel to it. Like all objects, they become your friend once you get used to them and they get used to you.
These bracelets are cool. I’ve got them on my arm right now. They’re made by women in Africa, and the beads are little bits of rolled-up paper — I guess they shellacked them. I wear them all the time. You can wear it as a necklace, you can wear it around your arm; they come apart, so you can play with them. Obviously they’re not that expensive; they’re $20. But I just love the idea that they’re handmade and that I’m helping these women in Africa make a living.
One of the places I live, I have to take a ferry to get to. There’s a little kiosk on the ferry where they sell things, and that’s where I found them. I don’t think they have a website, per se. But if I can find them on the British Columbia ferries, you can probably find them too.
[Editor’s note: Beads for Joy does not have a retail website, but you can message its page on Facebook to purchase.]
They’re my official shoe for everything I do. I wear them for everything. I walk on the beach, I go on hikes with them. I chainsaw in my yard with them. I work on my car with them. The sole’s got great grips. They’re my everyday shoes. So when I think about things that I like, they come to mind because I put them on every chance I get. They fit great, they’re comfortable, and I can walk in water with them. I can do everything in them.
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