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.
Esta historia es de la edición May 2020 de Harper's Bazaar Malaysia.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición May 2020 de Harper's Bazaar Malaysia.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Ultimate SIDEKICK
Here's how the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 revolutionise my lifestyle.
Pocket-Sized COMPANION
The latest Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is an ode to innovation and nostalgia with a modern twist.
LIVING BY DESIGN
Interior designer Andrea Savage's Art Deco-fuelled penthouse exudes playful sophistication and innovatively challenges what a home should be.
Mr.Armani's UNIVERSE
Over the past five decades, Giorgio Armani has constructed his own cinematic world out of fashion and with an ambitious new project in New York, now you can live in it too.
Shall We DANCE?
Model, influencer, content creator, dancer. Athina Kamarudin takes stock of her creative journey and opens up about where she hopes to take herself next.
Audaciously AVANT-GARDE
Superlative design meets topnotch functionality in Richard Mille's fourth creation with McLaren.
Racing GREEN
The TAG Heuer Monaco continues its homage to motorsports with a new hue.
Tranquil ESCAPE
Jo Malone London's new scent merges clean freshness with a distinctive, earthy twist.
IT ALL STARTS WITHIN
Dive deep into the world of Japanese skincare brand Takami and what it takes to care for your kakushitsu.
GILDED In GOLD
Dior's 2024 festive collection celebrates opulence and artistry with elegant beauty pieces inspired by Versailles glamour.