She's Got Sole
Genevieve Gordon dresses up feet with fashions from Europe and beyond.
Sarah Jane Leming
Randy Tobias
At 26, after practically growing up inside Brick’s, the upscale clothing store owned by her father, Russ Gordon, Genevieve has more business experience than most MBAs. “I’ve been in retail ever since I can remember—playing in the racks, and then helping out every Saturday and helping buy when I was in high school,” she says. After graduating from Kapaun Mount Carmel High School, going to college and traveling the world, the Wichita native decided to stick with what she knows by opening Genevieve G Shoes, a high-end shoe store in Bradley Fair.
Last August, Genevieve opened the boutique with her father and Erin Lang, a fashion marketing major who has worked at Brick’s for nearly four years. Design firm Blake Clotia worked with Russ to redesign the airy shoe store, located just a few doors north of Brick’s in a space once inhabited by Shoelaces. “It feels like Soho,” Genevieve says of the interior design. “It’s clean and open, and the shoes really are the art in it. They speak for themselves.”
Genevieve has come a long way since her father first took her on a buying trip to New York when she was in seventh grade. After graduating from the University of Kansas in 2004 with majors in business and economics, she worked on a Colorado fly-fishing ranch and other odd jobs before traveling to Europe. “I had eight months of play,” says Genevieve. Then she returned to Wichita and Brick’s in late 2005. “I didn’t think this was what I wanted to do,” she says. It took me going away to find that I had at my fingertips the best opportunity for something I would love and get a lot of joy and personal gratification from.”
Still, something was missing. Genevieve had never been content with Wichita’s shoe selection. “There was definitely a void in Wichita,” she says. By opening Genevieve G Shoes, she aimed to offer stylish footwear that customers can’t find anywhere else in the Great Plains. “It was a bit of a blind dive,” she says. “We’ve never done shoes.” Many of the stylish shoes complement apparel found at Brick’s. “Usually we can pinpoint exactly what shoe would be perfect for the outfits at Brick’s,” says Genevieve, wearing a black vest and knee-length skirt that show off her black flats.
She stocks a barrage of European-designed shoes, as well as some of her personal favorites—pairs from Chie Mihara, Bettye Muller and CYDWOQ. She uses her sense of style to select stylish pumps, boots and sandals. “Every woman I know loves shoes,” she says. “They just make you feel good.” While wearing the shoes is always enjoyable, she sometimes finds it challenging to select the specific brands of sandals, boots, pumps and more. She often tries to squeeze her size eight feet into the sevens at shoe markets to see how they look, choosing whatever appeals to her.
Along the way, Genevieve’s own shoe collection continues to grow. She found six pairs of colorful shoes on her search for the black flats she’s wearing. “There are too many incredible shoes,” she says. Her closet is a rainbow of rain boots, clogs and other styles. Since opening the shoe store last year, Genevieve’s already large collection has tripled—but she won’t reveal how many pairs she owns. “That would be unfair to my shoe closet,” she says.
Genevieve's Shoe-Shopping Advice
• Don’t be afraid to pair colorful shoes with neutral clothes. Wear something unexpected on occasion.
• Get height without walking on 6-inch stilettos by wearing boots and casual shoes with height built in.
• Go bold. Fashionable shoes are becoming less dainty. Plus, thick heels offer added stability.
• Comfort is in. Wear stylish flats, sandals and moccasins.
