If Christian Louboutin had never seen that sign forbidding women to wear high heels, the luxury fashion industry would be a very different place. All over, Christian Louboutin’s famous red bottom shoes turn heads everywhere. Christian Louboutin’s goal is to make a woman look sexy, beautiful, and to make her legs look as long as possible. Today, women lust after these expertly designed and crafted shoes.
The Man Behind the Red Bottom Shoes
Christian Louboutin was born in France in 1963. Ever since he was young, Louboutin had a passion for stylish footwear. During his teenage years, Louboutin began sketching shoes as a teenager. At 13, he visited an art museum where he saw a sign from Africa forbidding women wearing sharp stilettos from entering the building. This image remained in his mind and he later used this idea in his designs. Louboutin said, “I wanted to defy that. I wanted to create something that broke rules and made women feel confident and empowered.”
Louboutin was expelled from school at age 16. Two years after he was expelled, Louboutin began working for well-known shoe designer Charles Jourdan. In 1991, Louboutin borrowed funds to set up his own shoe salon in Paris. The signature red bottom soles were added in 1993. The inspiration for the trademark Louboutin red bottom sole came from his assistant who was painting her nails red. He took one look and decided to color the shoes red as a statement for the season. And the rest is history.
Louboutin’s sexy red bottom shoes soon attracted the attention of Princess Caroline of Monaco. Princess Caroline’s influence and comments subsequently helped Louboutin to gain international renown. A long list of celebrities have since taken an interest in Louboutin’s brand and are seen frequently wearing the famed red-bottom sole shoes.
Red Bottom Shoes Have Taken Off Running
With all his success in women’s shoes, Louboutin has started to branch out in fashion. He began designing handbags in 2003. In 2011, he began a men’s shoe line. And in 2013, Louboutin debuted a new beauty line.
As a world-renowned designer, Louboutin continues to create imaginative footwear season after season. In Marie Claire magazine, he explained that, “For inspiration, I often imagine a courtesan living out her life in a circus.” Today, Christian Louboutin sells more than 500,000 pairs of shoes every year and is one of the most sought after shoe brands online.
Cover Photo Credit: Andrea Klarin
