IN HIS SHOES
For his largest exhibition ever, Christian Louboutin opens up his world of whimsical curiosities at the Art Deco Palais de la Porte Dorée. Amy Yasmine heads to Paris to discover the exhibitionist side of the shoe maestro in an exclusive interview.
How ironic to be staring blankly at a “No Heels Allowed” signboard at an exhibition fêting an iconic shoe designer. It was just days before Paris Fashion Week, and naturally, I had worn my best four-inch metallic slingbacks to discover Christian Louboutin's largest ever vernissage, at the Palais de la Porte Doreé. “Uh oh,” I thought to myself, looking down at my own pair of heels, wondering if I was going to be allowed in for fear of diminishing the antique wooden floors. Little did I realise that this wasn’t just any ordinary signboard. As it turns out, it was the starting point of the shoemaker’s glittering career, his journey imaginatively explored through a retrospective held at an institution so dear to him.
“When I first discovered the signboard at the Palais—a child at that time—I was confused as to why it was designed like that,” Louboutin opens this interview. “It was unlike anything I had ever seen before, especially back then when heels were just no more than two inches high. It
left such an impression on me, that it later became the blueprint of a shoe I designed.” This shoe in question is none other than the Pigalle, the five-inch heeled stiletto which since its introduction in Autumn/Winter ’04, has adorned Hollywood glitterati and musicians from Angelina Jolie to Madonna, as well as every fashionista worth their red soles.
Standing at the same spot Louboutin had once stood as a child, it dawned upon me how inspirations can strike even from the unlikeliest of places. But, it isn’t just signboards and oceanic artefacts that inspire his immense imagination. Making my way through the museum’s creaky floors, a large selection of historic and artistic pieces stood before me, including ones crafted from fish scales, and another designed with the late Princess Diana in mind. Elsewhere, stained glass panels created in collaboration with Maison du Vitrail immortalised the designer’s most early works, the Pensée, while in another, a larger-than-life Sevillian silver palanquin made by L’Orfebreria Villarreal canonised a glass shoe, trapped in a plexi-ice sculpture. “In this exhibition, I wanted to showcase all the artisans and artists that I love, and who I have worked with,” said Louboutin. You may see a bridge connecting my work and all these other things which I love, or you may not. Which is fine all the same, as the idea of this exhibition is to give pleasure by showing beautiful things, which have all been very inspirational to me.”
As beautiful and inspirational these installations may be, perhaps what piqued my curiosity most was the way how shoes, through the eyes of Christian Louboutin, have become a vessel of which societal issues can be discussed. Like through the work of British designer duo Whitaker Malem whose mannequins helped convey the message of inclusivity through Louboutin's cult Nudes collection, or Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi’s hauntingly mesmerising miniature, featuring a gilded loafer surrounded by splashes of red paint as if to depict blood. The designer’s fascination with fetishism also became a curious talking point, where in this exclusive interview, the 57-year old visionary explains ...
What is fetishism to you? It really is down to the whole design which I am interested by. And also, the fact that an object can be receptacle of a lot of admiration of design. In fact, designs go from one person to another person, and sometimes passes through another object of design, and this is what fetishism is about for me.
Do you consider yourself a provocateur?
In a way, yes. But I never do things to provoke. The only thing I like to provoke is emotion. There's a lot of emotion in this exhibition. Usually after an exhibition, an expected response would be “Oh I love this piece” or “I love this installation”. Instead, visitors were saying “thank you” to me.
Do you remember the emotions that overcame you when you first discovered the “No Heels Allowed” signboard at the Palais?
It wasn’t really an emotion, but a question mark. In fact, it was more of an interrogation. “Why this drawing?”, “Why a drawing?”, “How do you draw that?”, and “Why was it in a profile of a shoe?”. It really was a surprise for the child that I was, back then.
What was the concept behind your now-iconic Nudes collection, which at the time of its introduction, was considered revolutionary?
It is funny how there are certain parts of the fashion industry where ideas are not really progressing. When I first started the Nudes collection, it seemed like an obvious creation to me but inversely, the first reaction from the industry was that it was a “brown” collection. This was not the point, I thought to myself. It’s not brown, it’s transparency. Nudity to me, is a non-colour. Sometimes other people in other niches perceive things differently outside of their comfort zones.
With your first boutique in Kuala Lumpur in mind, how does Southeast Asia intrigue you?
To be honest with you, I’ve been to Malaysia, but not to Kuala Lumpur. In fact, I was on a boat! So I’ve always wanted to go back and this time, visit Kuala Lumpur. It’s a very interesting part of the world, where there are so many cultures and mixed with very modern approach now. And good intergration of modernity. It’s always interesting to see how people are dealing with two polarising backgrounds.
With a beauty line already under your belt, how important is it for you to creatively diversify as a designer?
I think when you’re in the creative field, everything leads to one thing or another. There will always be something new to pass on to. It’s what most creatives are like. If you’re only working on a collection and not the way how a store looks like, you’re losing a part of yourself. It isn’t just about the content ... but also what is around the content.
In your book L’Exhibition[iste], French writer Éric Reinhardt recounted how a stranger once told you were an exhibitionist. What was the biggest takeaway from that experience?
Just by the fact that I still do remember someone I haven’t met since, and yet made such an impact. But at the time, I did not fully understand how I wanted to express myself or speak in a way, to have a voice. But now I do, which is to share a passion, and to explain to
people that if you believe in yourself, you can definitely make a change.
What do you mean by being an “exhibitionist”?
To some, being an exhibitionist might include an image of someone who has his coat open. But behind that coat, there is a lot hidden in plain sight. I knew that by doing the exhibitionist in a place where I spent my childhood, I am also talking about myself. And by doing that, you have to assume that you are an exhibitionist.
Considering your illustrous career, do you believe in luck?
I believe in karma. And I do believe in energy. But I also believe in people’s minds. Karma is nothing without someone understanding things and science. I am actually very sensitive to energies, and other people’s energies.
What do you think has been your greatest challenge throughout this entire journey?
Probably to resist to a lot of different things. From the age of the Internet to social media, the main thing to do is to remain faithful to myself. But I’ve always grown organically, and that’s why we’re here now. It was never an idea for me to become “big”. I think it’s when you are true to yourself, that’s when things start to fall into place.
In this digital age, how do you evolve your storytelling? The company is really into social media. Though my name might be associated with femininity, shoes, leathergoods, and a form of lifestyle ... a form of blown-up panorama, internationally. But I’m not at the centre of action. The epicentre of it is my work. My work is at the heart of the social media, but I don’t need to be involved in it.
How do you keep creating fantasies with sustainability in mind?
I’ve started to work with recycling, but also to me, sustainability is trustability. And it’s a very serious matter. To know where the components are coming from, how our craftsmen and artisans are being treated.
What is real luxury to you?
To me, luxury is time and space. Everything is going quickly and you’re constantly missing so many things due to the speed in general, as well as space where there are so many more people. Luxury is a concept that is above fashion, to allow myself some time and some space. And with those, I’m able to create and appreciate better. Palais de la Porte Dorée, 293 Avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris, France. www.lexpositionchristianlouboutin.com
J“The only thing I like to provoke is emotion.” — Christian Louboutin