Christian Louboutin: In His Shoes
It's been 20 years since Louboutin splashed red nail polish on the sole of a shoe and created his design signature. The emperor of high heels walks us through his journey.
By Marianna Mairesse and Katie L. Connor
Photo Credit: Jérôme Bonnet
He has created a generation of addicts. As author Simon Doonan puts it: "Louboutins are a total drug, and there is no methadone." The first time you slip into a pair of his shoes with their bright-red soles, you're hooked. More alchemist than cobbler, Christian Louboutin transforms women with the flirtatious peep of a toe and click of a sculpted heel. It's that magic that keeps women coming back — often handing over rent money and savings. Why do women fork it over? Because what they walk away with isn't just a pair of shoes, it's a priceless feeling of feminine power.
Let's start at the very beginning ...
Everyone has their dates. For me, it's 1991. I can place every memory of my life either before or after this date. It's the year I became an adult. My mother died, and I created my company shortly thereafter. I definitely would not have done it if she hadn't passed away. I'm kind of lazy by nature — everything always appeared a bit insurmountable to me. But when my mother died, I was thrust into the adult world, and once you're an adult, you have to work. She always motivated me by telling me that my designs were beautiful; she was so enthusiastic that I owed it to her to try.
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