Designer Deep Dive: Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin is arguably one of the most recognizable and well-known shoe designers of our time, with the iconic red sole being a trademark of luxury and status. But how did he climb the ranks of the fashion industry ladder to get where he is today?

Early Life

Christian Louboutin was born and raised in Paris by his two parents Roger, a cabinet maker, and Irene, a homemaker. His father wasn’t around much in his early life, so he spent most of his time with his mom and three sisters. His fascination with shoes began at a young age when he visited a museum and saw a sign which read that high heels weren’t allowed. "I was totally fascinated by that sign. I'd never seen shoes like that," he explained to W. It’s true what they say that inspiration can strike at any moment! Soon after that his notebook began to fill up with shoe sketches, some of which were inspired by Roger Vivier, who designed shoes for Christian Dior in the 1950’s. It’s been reported that while he was in school he spent most of his time sketching rather than studying which resulted in him getting expelled from 3 different schools, the final occurrence happening when he was 16. It seemed like a traditional education wasn’t in the stars for Christian Louboutin, so instead he attended the Académie d'Art Roederer to study drawing and decorative arts. He ran away to Egypt and India as a teenager, but Louboutin returned to Paris with a portfolio filled with sketches of fabulous heels and was ready to land a job. He approached many designers and ended up working for Charles Jourdan (one of Paris’ and the world’s most respected shoe designers) in the 1980’s, which is when he really started to learn the ins and outs of the shoe industry.

Brand Launch & Legal Matters

After his stint at Charles Jourdan, he left to work as a freelance designer for Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Roger Vivier. Louboutin took the leap to venture out on his own in 1992 and opened up his first namesake boutique in Paris. It was one year later when inspiration struck yet again for what would become the trademark statement for all of his future shoe designs. "My assistant was sitting there, painting her nails red. I took one look and decided to color my soles red as a statement for the season," Louboutin told Footwear News. "I thought, 'Oh my god! Red soles are so flirtatious,' and my customers asked me not to stop." This is the part of the story that gets really interesting. Some believe that this is really is just a “story” and that he actually got this idea while working for Charles Jourdan, who also used red soles for some of their designs around the time when Louboutin worked for him. In 2013, Louboutin filed a lawsuit against Charles Jourdan claiming that Jourdan and retailer DSW infringed on Louboutin’s red-sole trademark. In the lawsuit, Louboutin called Jourdan’s shoes “counterfeit” versions of its own shoes. They ended up settling (no details were disclosed), but this wasn’t the first time that Louboutin took a designer to court over the matter of his signature red-soled shoes. Back in 2011, he filed a suit against YSL for selling a monochrome red heel which also had a red sole. After 18 months of back-and-forth, New York federal court backed the validity of Louboutin’s red-sole trademark but said it would only be protected when it comes to red-soled shoes with contrasting uppers. That gave YSL the right to continue selling its monochrome pump. The moral of the story: if anyone besides Louboutin attempts to make a red-soled shoe, they’re asking for trouble!

Beyonce with Jay-Z in 2011 at a Lakers game wearing the Daffodile 160 style which is fully decked out in rhinestones!

In the early days of launching his own brand, royalty and celebrities alike helped introduce the world to Christian Louboutin (think Princess Carolina of Monaco and Madonna to name a couple). In fact, Princess Carolina was his first customer and spoke highly of his store when interviewed by the press, which helped increase his reputation. It wasn’t before long that many celebrities caught on and became big fans of his heels - Jennifer Lopez, Blake Lively, Rihanna, Beyoncé…the list goes on and on! Sarah Jessica Parker even wore a pair of his heels for her wedding and Britney Spears wore a pair for her music video “If U Seek Amy”, which weren’t released until the following month, creating a lot of hype for the brand. But perhaps the biggest “super fan” is American novelist Danielle Steel who as of 2010 allegedly owned a whopping 6,000 pairs of Louboutin shoes 🤯 So I’m guessing her collection has doubled in the last 12 years?! I couldn’t even fathom owning that many shoes, let alone find the time to wear them all!

Branching Out

The newest Louboutin boutique in Paris on Rue Saint-Honoré. It’s spread out over three floors and showcases both men’s and women’s collections.

Louboutin’s shoe designs continued to increase in popularity (some of their best-selling styles include the Pigalle and So Kate which is a sky-high 120mm - that’s over 4.5”!) and in 2003 he expanded his brand into the handbag category. When you have the most fabulous pair of shoes you need a handbag to match, right?! The ‘Cabata’ tote has been a long-time favorite of mine - it’s classic silhouette is the perfect bag for everyday use or travel, but the base features a stamped rubberized Louboutin logo reflective of his signature red-soled heels. Not long after he partnered with Batallure Beauty LLC to launch his own beauty collection in 2012. Today his beauty line consists of everything you can imagine: eyeshadows, lip colors, and nail polishes all done in his iconic shades that have made Louboutin stand out in the fashion industry. As of last year, the brand was estimated to be worth $2.7 billion and they consistently sell over 1 million pairs of shoes every year! 👠 There’s no denying that Christian Louboutin’s passion for fashion, innovation, and impeccable design has gotten him where he is today and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for his world of fantastical creations!

A Christian Louboutin boutique recently opened in Scottsdale and while I haven’t gone inside, I gazed at the window display for a good 5 minutes completely enamored by the latest collection 😍 One day I’d love to own a pair of So Kate heels (tbd if I can actually walk in them) and a Cabata tote bag. What do you think of Louboutin’s signature style? Would you wear a pair of his shoes? Let me know in the comments what you think and who I should spotlight next month!

Sources: Wikipedia | Business of Fashion | Biography.com | WWD | Glamour