Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour' Louboutins Had a Secret Feature to Save Her From Slipping Onstage

The famed footwear designer uses the exact same trick in several other stars' on-tour wardrobes.

Taylor Swift sits on top of her set for the eras tour wearing louboutins with a versace outfit showing the special red bottoms
(Image credit: Getty Images)

For the past 152 nights performing on the Eras Tour, Taylor Swift's outfits have each come with a pair of gleaming, twinkling, custom Christian Louboutin shoes—more than 250 pairs total, to be exact. Each night, she's sailed through her nearly four-hour set without missing a step. Swift's own talent and willpower are largely what makes those flawless routines possible, but the right shoes have helped her hit her marks even during fan-favorite (and slippery) rain shows. Now, Mr. Louboutin himself is finally explaining how.

In short: It comes down to those signature red bottoms' soles. Speaking with Instyle, Christian Louboutin explained that the painted leather soles on his usual designs are instead replaced with rubber for the Eras Tour. Every single pair Taylor Swift wears—from the combat boots with her new Reputation outfit to her fresh cabaret shoes for The Tortured Poets Department—has this secret, tiny adjustment that makes dancing, even in puddles, that much easier. "We typically incorporate this feature for musicians' tours to withstand the performances night after night," he told the outlet.

Taylor Swift performs on the Eras Tour wearing a white Vivienne Westwood dress and a pair of Christian Louboutin custom shoes

Taylor Swift performs in several pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes each night. The label's signature red soles are adjusted to keep the artist safe onstage.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Swift's performances come with a few extra demands compared to your other faves' nationwide (or even worldwide) tours. That nearly-four-hour set list I mentioned earlier? It comes with around twelve head-to-toe costume changes, performed up to five nights in a row.

So, Louboutin, Swift's stylist, Joseph Cassell Falconer, and the pop star herself worked closely together to guarantee she could easily swap her Lover knee-high boots with her Fearless pair backstage, or even swap between Tortured Poets shoes mid-set. "Each pair is made to fully to allow for quick changes through the entirety of the show," the designer said. Heels are deliberately low and sturdy, too: "As they are dancing for over three hours, comfort is also extremely important. So we incorporated [a] sturdy block heel and also flats."

Taylor Swift performs on the Eras tour with her backup dancers wearing custom louboutin heels

During her Tortured Poets set, Swift quick-changes onstage into a pair of cabaret-inspired heels.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Variety and nostalgia are equal parts of the excitement during each Eras Tour show. Taylor Swift had the same outfit for each album made in several different colors. Fans love to guess which one she'll wear before she wears it; Swift has told the crowd she loves when audiences clock her outfit changes. The Louboutin team knew creating extra footwear would keep Swifties engaged through each stop on the record-breaking tour. "Her being on stage for two years all around the world, she needed to sparkle and stand out," Louboutin says. "So for each date, there were new fittings and shoes to surprise her fans."

Christian Louboutin opened up about Taylor Swift's shoe wardrobe on the eve of her final performances in Vancouver, Canada—and new Eras Tour book arriving at Target on Nov. 29. The tome includes Louboutin's original sketches for her Tortured Poets-era boots—based on entirely new designs—as well as hundreds of never-before-seen photos. And, from what I can tell, even more insight into crafting each magical outfit from Swift herself. Long live the Eras Tour's shoe collection.

Halie LeSavage
Senior Fashion & Beauty News Editor

Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes stories for both sections. Halie is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, emerging fashion and beauty brands, and shopping (naturally). In over seven years as a professional journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from fashion week coverage spanning the Copenhagen, New York, Milan, and Paris markets, to profiles on industry insiders like celebrity stylist Molly Dickson, to breaking news stories on noteworthy brand collaborations and beauty product launches. (She can personally confirm that Bella Hadid’s Ôrebella perfume is worth the hype.) She has also written dozens of research-backed shopping guides to finding the best tote bags, ballet flats, and more. Most of all, Halie loves to explore what style trends—like the rise of emotional support accessories or TikTok’s 75 Hard Style Challenge—can say about culture writ large. She also justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”

Halie has previously held writer and editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters, among other outlets, and appears in newsletters like Selleb and Self Checkout to provide shopping recommendations. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. Outside of work, Halie is passionate about books, baking, and her miniature Bernedoodle, Dolly. For a behind-the-scenes look at her reporting, you can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.