This past year Louie Gong has created a successful line of custom shoes, t shirts, and posters based on Coast Salish art behind the name 8th Generation. His biggest sellers are the different versions of custom Vans skate shoes that have featured everything from hummingbirds to octopus’ to killer whales in hand drawn designs in the style of vintage Coast Salish art. Different from the majority of shoe customizers work, Louie’s does more than to just be a cool custom shoe some hipster is wearing. Each design Louie creates strengthens his message of maintaining ones cultural identity in today’s fast changing and blurring world. Here is a trailer to a documentary that recently premiered at the American Indian Film Fesitival.
