The red sole makes these shoes the most recognizable in the world. The red carpet color on their soles is sexually addicting and makes you pull out your credit cards.
What are Louboutins?
These are shoes created by a famous shoe designer who once painted a nondescript sole with red nail polish. This made them a true symbol of sexuality and femininity. Rumor has it that once a we althy Louboutin client ordered a pair of shoes with ruby soles. The creation process was not easy, but the designer, a lover of everything glamorous, could not refuse her. To deliver the shoes to Hong Kong, he first made the soles of cubic zirkonia, and inserted the rubies only after they were sent to the client.
How did the idea come about?
The history of the creation of the red sole is interesting. Louboutin, inspired by the paintings of Andy Warhol, wanted to create shoes with a cartoon print. The first models sent to him for testing looked like Warhol's sketches, but it seemed to the designer that something was missing. I wonder if he would have been lucky if not for his assistant, who at that moment was painting her nails. He grabbed the nail polish, put it onthem the sole of one of the pairs - and so went down in history. His multimillion-dollar business has found a foothold with a bottle of red nail polish. But high heels are more than just a fashion accessory. Louboutins are shoes that are constantly evolving and are a symbol of sexuality, making their owners unique.
How did it all start?
Twelve-year-old Christian Louboutin saw stilettos for the first time in a museum. He drew attention to the sign that indicated that it was forbidden to wear such shoes in this building, but was fascinated by ladies' legs in elegant shoes. And he began to draw sketches in a notebook. Louboutin was not exactly an exemplary student. After being expelled from school, he moved at sixteen and began living odd jobs sewing sequins on costumes at a famous cabaret, and was fascinated by the glitz and glamour. Burlesque and cabaret became his great inspiration, as he himself said. This explains the sexuality of his shoes. He studied under the legendary French designer Charles Jourdain and honed his craft as a shoemaker over the years.
Growing in popularity…
Soon he began to create designs for his own store in Paris, where he introduced stilettos in the early nineties. His shoes have a lot of admirers: the Princess of Monaco, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker, Victoria Beckham … Louboutins in the photo can be seen in almost every celebrity. Business is booming, and the whole world flaunts in stilettos created by the master. They inspireddesigners in other areas and they began to create varnishes, lipsticks of a similar color and accessories.
The red sole is a sign of quality. Shoes may be studded with rhinestones or hung with gold pendants, but this color of the sole remains unchanged. Stiletto heels may not be the most comfortable, but Louboutin's empire continues to grow exponentially, with more than 1,000,000 pairs of shoes sold each year in his 93 stores. And red is more than just a marketing ploy that makes his creations recognizable. It is a fantasy, a promise of passion, elegance. Its factories in Naples are supplied with some of the finest materials, only from trusted tanneries in the world, hand-selected and hand-tested by experienced craftsmen.
Beauty or convenience?
High heels are beautiful, but as Christian Louboutin himself says, he first of all thinks about beauty and only then about convenience. But, despite this, his shoes are sewn on the blocks created by the master himself. Many owners say that it is convenient to move in them, that they fit the leg correctly and allow you to feel comfortable. Of course, in the current realities, it is difficult for any business to survive. Christian Louboutin also speaks about this. Asian plants and factories have taken part of the market, a large number of fakes are being produced, the price of material is rising so much that production costs double every year. But while he is one of the best and most popular shoe manufacturers, he sticks to his own course. Convenience has never been a priority, andChristian Louboutin himself says that it is not his job to create something convenient and comfortable. He tries to make heels as high as possible, and the priority is design, beauty and sexy.
Of the hundreds of projects he has created (and he has both ballet shoes and men's sneakers), Louboutin still considers the classic stiletto pumps to be the best. Now the designer has almost a thousand employees, and the business is worth $85 million. It all started with something as simple as a bright red patent leather sole.
How to distinguish genuine Louboutins from a fake?
When buying used designer shoes, hesitation is understandable. How to understand that they are not real? Fakes are everywhere, and if this is your first time buying expensive shoes, it's pretty hard to tell the difference. When you get your hands on Louboutin shoes, take a moment to look at them carefully. Here are some key factors to look out for.
- The seams of beautiful Louboutins are neat, the stitches are small both outside and inside the shoe. If the seams are uneven and you can see that they are starting to tear, then this is not the original.
- Pay attention to the attachment of the heel to the heel. The attachment point must be at least five centimeters. This will give you stability and strength.
- When placing shoes on a flat surface, pay attention to ensure that the sole is in full contact with the surface. The sole of fakes often looks wavy.
- Look at them. If the wear is toostrong and the red layer comes off easily, then you have a fake. Another key factor that distinguishes real Louboutins is the embossed stamping on the insole of the heel and on the arch of the sole. If there is embossing, then it should be clear and even, and not smeared around the edges.
- And finally, the shoe size. It will always be displayed as fractions (for example, 381/2) and not separated by commas (38, 5).
What do happy owners think?
Not all women are fully admired by Louboutins. Reviews about the brand are mixed. In some reviews, you can find information that the red sole wears out very quickly. Even the fact that the company repaints original shoes for free does not satisfy some consumers. It is also indicated that they are almost impossible to wear in bad weather. Under the influence of rain or snow, shoes instantly become unusable. Another negative point that consumers pay attention to is the outer side of the heel, which is quickly rubbed off and begins to scratch. And this contributes to the appearance of corns on the heels.
But not all Louboutin reviews are so critical. Many of their owners indicate that the shoes are simple, but elegant, stylish and luxurious. The stud provides a great look. But, unfortunately, it will not be possible to walk in them all evening. Despite the external beauty, the shoes are often very uncomfortable to wear.
Which models are especially popular?
The most popular model incustomers are Pigalle Louboutins. They look like classic shoes, which are made from simple smooth black leather, as well as from other materials, and have a rich palette of colors. The heel is presented in three versions - 8, 10 and 12 centimeters. Most often they buy shoes with 8 cm stilettos for everyday wear, as they are more comfortable to wear and more stable. Louboutins of this model in black and beige are sometimes impossible to find in stores - they sell them out so quickly.
The second most popular model is So, Kate. According to its owners, these shoes have the sexiest and most elegant silhouette, which makes the legs even more slender.
Louboutins are style. Yes, they have certain problems in wearing, requiring frequent replacement of heels or tinting of the sole, pain in the legs, but does this stop women who want to be beautiful and sophisticated? Of course not.
