Gong's shoes in fashion showcase

Fashion footwear grounded in Coast Salish art

Over the past year, using sharpies and pencils, Louie Gong has transformed Vans shoes into culturally inspired works of art. Now his shoes will be part of a runway show during the Olympic Games.

By Lornet TurnbullThis week, the 36-year-old will be one of eight Native designers from across North America participating in an aboriginal fashion show during the Olympic Games.

In fact, the educational-resource coordinator at Muckleshoot Tribal College in Auburn is one of only a few Native people from the U.S. who will participate in a slate of events over the next two weeks organized by the Olympic Games' Four Host First Nation coordinators.

The Aboriginal Fashion Showcase is scheduled for Vancouver Community College; it started Friday and runs through Tuesday.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Gong's Shoes Take Off and Eighth Generation's Custom Shoes.

Below:  "Louie Gong will show his hand-painted shoes in the Aboriginal Fashion Showcase in Vancouver."