Christian Louboutin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christian Louboutin
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Louboutin in 2023
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| Born | 7 January 1964 Paris, France
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| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Years active | 1991–present |
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| Private, S.A. | |
| Industry | Luxury goods |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Christian Louboutin Henri Seydoux Bruno Chamberlain and Faheema Moosa |
| Headquarters |
Paris
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France
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Key people
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| Products | Shoes, purses, wallets, cosmetics, fragrances, etc |
| Revenue |  $250 million (31 December 2010) |
| Owner | Exor N.V. (24%) |
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Number of employees
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1,800 (2024) |
Christian Louboutin (French: [kʁistjɑ̃ lubutɛ̃]; born on January 7, 1964) is a famous French fashion designer. He is best known for his stylish high-heeled shoes. These shoes have shiny, red-lacquered soles, which are his special trademark.
Louboutin first worked as a designer for other fashion companies. Later, he opened his own shoe shop in Paris. His shoes quickly became popular with many celebrities. Over time, his company also started making luxury shoes for men, handbags, perfumes, and makeup. He has also worked with other groups on special projects, like limited edition items and art shows.
Early Life and Inspiration
Christian Louboutin was born and grew up in Paris, France. He was the only son of a cabinet-maker and a homemaker. He also had three sisters.
From a young age, Louboutin loved designing shoes. This passion was much stronger than his interest in school. His first job was at the Folies Bergère, a famous cabaret. There, he helped the performers backstage. He also spent time with famous people like Mick Jagger and Andy Warhol at parties in the city.
Louboutin's interest in shoes really began in 1976. He visited the Musée national des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie in Paris. There, he saw a sign that said women wearing sharp high heels were not allowed inside. This was to protect the wooden floors. This image stayed with him. He later said, "I wanted to defy that." He wanted to create shoes that broke rules and made women feel strong and confident.
Starting His Career
Louboutin had little formal training, but he studied drawing and decorative arts. He was very interested in different world cultures. As a teenager, he traveled to Egypt and spent a year in India.
In 1981, Louboutin returned to Paris. He put together a collection of drawings of fancy high heels. He showed these drawings to top fashion houses. This led to him working with Charles Jourdan, a shoe designer. Later, Louboutin met Roger Vivier, who is known for inventing the modern stiletto heel. Louboutin became an apprentice in Vivier's workshop.
After this, Louboutin worked as a freelance designer. He created women's shoes for big names like Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Maud Frizon. In the late 1980s, he took a break from fashion. He worked as a landscape gardener and wrote for Vogue magazine. But he missed designing shoes, so he decided to start his own company in 1991.
Building His Brand
With money from two supporters, Christian Louboutin opened his first shoe shop in Paris in 1991. His very first customer was Princess Caroline of Monaco. One day, a fashion journalist was in the store when the Princess complimented it. The journalist wrote about her comments, which helped Louboutin become much more famous.
Soon, other important clients like Diane von Fürstenberg and Catherine Deneuve became his customers. Many celebrities have worn his high-heeled shoes, including Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Tina Turner, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Blake Lively. Sarah Jessica Parker even wore Louboutin shoes for her wedding.
For three years in a row, Louboutin's brand was named the "Most Prestigious Women's Shoes." By 2011, Christian Louboutin was the most searched-for shoe brand online. In 2019, he received a special award for his artistry in fashion. In February 2020, Christian Louboutin had an exhibition in Paris to celebrate 30 years of his company.
Louboutin Shoes
Christian Louboutin helped bring stiletto heels back into style in the 1990s and 2000s. He designed many styles with very high heels, often 120 millimeters (about 4.7 inches) or more. While he does make some lower-heeled shoes, he is mostly known for his fancy evening shoes. These often have jeweled straps, bows, feathers, shiny patent leather, and of course, his famous red soles.
The exact color code for Christian Louboutin's red-bottoms is Pantone 18-1663 TPX.
One of his biggest customers is the American writer Danielle Steel. She is said to own over 6,000 pairs of his shoes! She has even bought up to 80 pairs at one time.
The Red Sole Trademark
The red sole design is protected as a trademark in many countries. This means that other companies cannot easily copy it. Louboutin has gone to court several times to protect his unique red sole.
For example, in the Netherlands, a court decided that the red sole trademark was valid. This meant another shoe retailer could not sell shoes with red soles. In the United States, a court ruled that Louboutin has the special right to use the color red on the bottom of his shoes. This applies when the rest of the shoe is any color other than red. However, if the entire shoe, including the top and bottom, is red, then other designers can sell them.
Business and Prices
In his first year, Louboutin sold 200 pairs of shoes. Now, his brand is known all over the world. The United States makes up more than half of his sales. Europe, the Middle East, and Russia account for 30 percent, and Asia for 18 percent.
Most of the company's money comes from shoes. However, they also sell purses and handbags. Most of the shoes are made in his factory in Milan, Italy. He also has a small workshop in Paris for special custom orders.
Louboutin shoes can cost from $500 and go up to $6,000 for pairs covered in crystals. A custom-made pair starts at $4,000.
Brand Growth
Over the years, Christian Louboutin has been offered many chances to put his name on other products, like cars or glasses. But he has usually said no. He doesn't want his name to be used on just anything.
In 2003, he expanded his brand beyond shoes for the first time. He launched a line of handbags and purses.
In 2011, he started a collection of men's shoes. He opened a special men's store in Paris. One reason he started the men's line was because musician Mika asked him to design all the shoes for his tour. Louboutin also noticed that some men are very serious about collecting shoes, much like women.
In 2012, Louboutin teamed up with a beauty company to create Christian Louboutin Beauté. This was his entry into the luxury beauty market.
On July 23, 2014, Christian Louboutin Beauté launched a line of nail polishes. The first color was his signature red, called Rouge Louboutin. The idea for the red soles actually came from an assistant's red nail polish! The polish bottles are also special, with a long, spiky cap.
In 2015, he added a lipstick collection to his beauty line. The lipstick tubes were inspired by ancient architecture. By 2017, the brand had 38 shades of lipstick.
Louboutin also entered the perfume market in 2016. He released three perfumes with unique scents.
Special Projects
Christian Louboutin has worked on many interesting projects.
In 2012, Disney asked him to create a modern version of Cinderella's glass slippers. Only 20 pairs were made. He also appeared in a short Disney film called "The Magic of the Glass Slipper." That same year, he worked with Mattel to create a special "Louboutin Barbie" doll. The first doll in the series sold out on its first day.
In 2020, Louboutin launched a digital platform called Loubi World. Here, people can create an avatar of themselves. They can then choose different shoes and accessories for their avatar. The avatars can explore virtual places and landmarks designed by Louboutin.
In March 2021, a company called Exor bought a 25% share of Christian Louboutin's business for $643 million.
Stores Around the World
In the spring of 2012, the company opened its first men's store in New York City. It was located next to his existing women's store. Louboutin felt that women might feel uncomfortable trying on shoes if men were watching them.
The first Louboutin Men's Boutique in Paris opened in the summer of 2012.
Christian Louboutin also has a store in Miami, Florida. He chose Miami because of its unique mix of businesses and its smaller city feel. The Miami store is known for stocking his most colorful and daring shoe styles. This is because of the warm climate and the fact that people there "barely walk in the street," as Louboutin once said.
The Miami store was designed by Eric Clough and 212box. It has a steel awning shaped like a Louboutin shoe with a red underside. Pink orchids grow from the building's coral-stone walls. Inside, a colorful sculpture made from recycled pantyhose stretches across the floor. Some of Louboutin's shoes even hang from this sculpture. The store also has red carpets and blue glass chandeliers. Some walls have hidden poems carved into wooden tiles. These special coded tiles appear in many Louboutin stores around the world.
Avoiding Fake Products
Christian Louboutin's official website sells some of their products online. They state that it is the only real online source with "Louboutin" in the website name. You can also buy real Louboutin shoes in stores and online from authorized retailers.
Unfortunately, many fake Louboutin shoes are sold online. The company has worked hard to shut down websites that sell these fake goods. They have a special website dedicated to protecting their brand and listing over 3,000 websites that sell fake products. Many of these fake sites have been closed down.
Film and TV Appearances
- 1985: La Nuit Porte Jarretelles
- 1987: Jeux d'Artifices
- 1994: La Folie Douce
- 2009: La Traversée du Désir
- 2018: Alien Crystal Palace
Television Appearances
- 2023: Drag Race France as Guest judge
Images for kids
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Christian Louboutin logo
See also
In Spanish: Christian Louboutin para niños
