Almost every woman addicted to stilettos knows who Christian Louboutin is, and if they don’t, they should know that the very shoes they wear on their feet were brought back into fashion by this legendary French shoe designer. Christian Louboutin has earned his place as a fashion icon in both the fashion world and pop culture history simply for his fabulous eye for style and his exceptional design skills.
Christian Louboutin
Louboutin started making shoes at a very young age. By age 12, he would sneak out of school and visit the flea markets in Vila do Conde. The gypsies at the market fell in love with his shoes, and while he received some criticism about leaving school to sell them, he stood by his decision. His choice was later justified when Sophia Loren, a famous actress, introduced her sister that left school at the age of 12 and returned to get her degree, graduating at age 50.
Christian Louboutin Stilettos
Christian Louboutin - Black Stiletto
Louboutin and Stilettos
Louboutin claims that his stiletto inspiration came from a sign he noticed at a museum. The sign banned women from wearing high shoes because they might damage the hardwood floors. Louboutin stated that he “wanted to defy that, [he] wanted to create something that broke the rules and made women feel confident and empowered.” And defy the rules, he did!
His designs are most commonly associated with evening wear looks that incorporate feathers, bows, leather, and straps into lethally high heels. While there are some lower-heeled designs made by Louboutin, most of his shoes are designed with a heel height of at least 120mm. However, height is not the only signature to his designs.
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A Black Christian Louboutin Stiletto
Louboutin’s shoe styles are most easily recognized by the red sole design, which he sought trademark for in the U.S. According to Louboutin, the red sole really wasn’t intentional. He stated that the design actually “happened by accident.” He felt that it “lacked energy.” So, to add energy to his design, he painted the bottom of a shoe with red nail polish. The color was such a success that it became a part of every shoe he made, and rightfully so. The signature look has made his shoes popular all over the world and many companies even try to copy the look.
Louboutin Stores
Louboutin owns three different boutiques in Paris and seven in the United States. Two of his U.S. boutiques are found in New York City, two are in California, one is found in Las Vegas, and one is found in Dallas. He also owns two boutiques in London, England, and three in Moscow. These are only a few areas of the world where his fashion icon status is felt on a massive level.
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Louboutin Counterfeit
Louboutin shoes are also sold on-line through a website that is owned by Louboutin himself. Sadly, however, his shoes are constantly under counterfeit attack. Since the last few years, there have been hundreds of notices on Google that have asked counterfeit sites to stop selling goods that they are not authorized to sell.
The company has since set up a site that focuses on protecting their signature brand and it even lists hundreds of sites that are trying to sell counterfeit Louboutin shoes. Legal action has been taken on many different companies but the problem still persists. When countless companies are trying to imitate your design, it’s no wonder you’re a fashion icon!
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