Red Emperor

Christian Louboutin is leading his label to global domination, one shoe, clutch and fragrance at a time. He invites ALICE FRANKLIN to his Parisian home and waxes lyrical.

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ANCIENT GANDHARA ART; global warming and commercial overproduction; French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan. When I settle in for a chat with the charming and supremely hospitable Christian Louboutin at his crow’s-nest home nestled just above the heart of the 1st arrondissement in Paris, I hadn’t envisaged our conversation would span quite such a range of varied subjects.

But within five minutes of being in Louboutin’s company, it’s clear that his creative process is anything but linear. His design vernacular is influenced by a vast library of references across different historical periods, and a plethora of industries and cultures. Our tête-a-tête quickly becomes an exercise in subject hopping as we talk collaborative partnerships, the importance of cross-pollination in ideas and how to build an empire.

But before I even get to sink into a sofa with the Frenchman who made red soles famous – his previous appointment had run a little late and you don’t rush a designer who’s invited you into his home, after all – it is an unexpected and humbling treat to get a glimpse of his most recent limited-edition collection with acclaimed Indian craftsman Sabyasachi, in a private presentation (arranged for someone far more important than me) showcased – where else? – but in the eaves of his own strikingly furnished residence.

What a sensational showcase of your work with Sabyasachi. You first worked together in 2015, how did that come about?