The Man Who Created Modern Age Cinderellas: Who is Christian Louboutin?

Christian Louboutin, the designer of shoes that make women feel as special, lucky, and valuable as Cinderella, continues to produce shoes that are the dreams of all women (and of course men) from 7 to 70, with its signature red shiny sole shoe designs.

By Jane Dickens Published on 15 Mart 2024 : 22:26.
The Man Who Created Modern Age Cinderellas: Who is Christian Louboutin?

Born in the Paris suburbs in 1964, Christian left school at the age of 16 and enrolled in a sewing school. Later, he went to Academie Roederer, also known as the School of Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, and studied fine arts and drawing. While he was doing his internship at a cabaret, he put thinly sliced raw meat into the dancer girls' shoes so that their feet would not hurt. In the 70s, the famous French shoemaker Charles Jourdan started working with Chanel and Yves Saint Lauren. Thinking that red soles would attract men's attention more easily from a male perspective, Louboutin kept the idea of Red Soles to himself as his 'Debut Piece'.

Childhood dream comes true

After working with these famous names, the designer realized that he did not want to work for others and quit the shoe business. In 1989, he turned to park and garden design.

Christian Louboutin (born 7 January 1963) is a French fashion designer. His stiletto footwear incorporates shiny, red-lacquered soles that have become his signature. Initially a freelance designer for fashion houses, he started his shoe salon in Paris, with his shoes finding favor with celebrity clientele. He has partnered with other organizations for projects including limited edition pieces, gallery exhibits, and a custom bar. His company has since branched out into men's luxury footwear, handbags, fragrances, and makeup.

One day in the following years, an antique dealer friend asked him, "Do you still draw shoes?" he asks.

He answers that question as follows, in the melancholy mood of having lost his mother that year:

“It was a childhood dream. "We should not get hung up on dreams."

His friend's response is as follows:

“If you want to get back into the shoe business, I have a shop on Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau.

It stands empty. "Take it and turn it into a shoemaker."

And Louboutin's childhood dream reignites; With the help of his friend, he opened his first store on Jean Jacques Rousseau Street in Paris in 1991.

Every fairy tale must have a princess

Princess Caroline of Monaco came to the store with a writer from W Magazine before the first week of the first store opened. As soon as she saw the red-soled shoes, she fell in love with these shoes and bought all the models. ,

When the writer of W magazine reported on this event, the Louboutin brand was now the talk of the world. The following year, he patented Red Soles, and the shoes, which later became the number one shoe for all Hollywood stars, took Louboutin from New York to Madrid; Sydney to Istanbul; With over 200 boutiques bearing its name in 48 countries from Beirut to Moscow and a turnover of nearly 500 million dollars, it is the number 1 in shoe fashion.

Stilettos come into our lives

His designs are so influential in the fashion world that; This alone ensures that stilettos with 12 cm and higher heels were fashionable in the 90s and 2000s.

The fact that Christian's designs are so admired by women from the worlds of politics, art, and sports makes Louboutin the most fearsome rival for important designers such as Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton, and Alexander McQueen. In the 2000s, red carpets, award ceremonies, galas, and many other events are no different from a Louboutin fashion show.

"An addiction with no cure"

When asked where his passion for high heels came from, Simon Doonan, Art Director of Barney's New York, stated that when he was a child, he saw high heels for the first time on the feet of a woman working at a festival held in an amusement park in Paris and that he could not take his eyes off the shoes and that this affected him greatly. Barney's New York Art Director Simon Doonan said, "It is a drug." and there is no cure for addiction,' he says.

"A woman carries her clothes, her shoes carry that woman"

The famous designer, who entered the bags and other clothing accessories industry in 2003 and the cosmetics industry in 2014, seems to be making a name for himself in the coming years with his inspiring story, eye-catching designs, and brand-new surprises waiting for us.