Christian Louboutin heels are a girl’s sole mate, but how do you pronounce Christian Louboutin anyway?

He’s the French footwear designer best known for his signature red-soled, sky high heels that have become the female footwear equivalent of a Rolex. By now, we can all spot the signature glossy red bottom from a mile away.

 

Elizabeth Semmelhack of the Bata Shoe Museum said, “He has upped the ante in terms of how high the heel can soar.”

 

Christian Louboutin sells more than half a million pairs of shoes a year, at prices ranging from $500 for espadrilles to $6,000 for super-platform pumps covered in thousands of tiny, sparkling Swarovski crystals.

But first: how do you pronounce Christian Louboutin? Say it aloud: Kree-stee-ahn Loo-boo-ten.

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The Inspiration Behind the Red Sole

Louboutin stumbled upon the red-lacquered sole design in 1993 during his third year in business. He brought his second collection of shoes into stores weeks too late and later thought of making a shoe inspired by Andy Warhol’s “Flowers.” The prototype was a pink stacked heel with a cartoonish cloth blossom with a black sole.

Noticing there was something missing he grabbed the nail polish from an assistant who was painting her nails red and slathered it on the sole of the prototype. From there, the red soles became Louboutin’s signature.

Today, you’ll find it featured on almost every one of the brand’s products, from Christian Louboutin heels for women to Christian Louboutin shoes for men.

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Christian Louboutin Heels are Handmade in Italy

Did you know Christian Louboutin heels are made in Italy?

Every pair begins with a sketch. Louboutin likes to conceive summer collections in warm locations, and winter collections in cold ones. Once the sketches are complete, they are sent to the Louboutin factory outside Milan. A team of artisans works many hours to translate Louboutin’s pen-and-paper fantasies into three dimensions.

Three weeks later, a set of prototypes will arrive at Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau—a sort of Santa’s workshop he opens for his private clients.

Christian Louboutin Size Chart

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How comfortable are Christian Louboutin heels?

As comfortable as sky-high stilettos can possibly be, which means… not very!

The designer himself frankly admitted:

 

“I don’t think about comfort when I design. […] No shoe with a 12cm (5 inch) heel is comfortable… but people do not come to me looking for a pair of slippers.”

 

The point is, Christian Louboutin heels are not meant to be comfortable. If you’re looking for a red-soled shoe to stand in all day, then you might opt for Christian Louboutin flats, slides, or sneakers. Christian Louboutin heels are a fashion statement, a luxury.

 

Louboutin told The Global Times: “I don’t want people to look at my shoes and say: ‘They look really comfortable!’ The important thing is that people say: ‘Wow, they’re beautiful!’”.

 

But here is why they’re still worth the splurge.

7 Reasons Why Christian Louboutin Heels Are Worth the Splurge

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  1. They Elude to a World of Glamour
    The red soles offer a secret pleasure to every wearer. Not only that, they let everyone else know you have great taste when you slip into a pair. The red bottoms of Christian Louboutin heels elude to a world of glamour and privilege.
  2. They Elevate The Market
    If you’ve ever daydreamed of your own pair of Christian Louboutin heels, have a Pinterest board dedicated to the red soled beauties or find yourself lusting for a pair season after season, buy them sooner rather than later. Each style created season after season is purely fantastic and extraordinary, and as with most luxury fashion, prices continuously go up.
  3. They’re Immediately Recognizable
    Christian Louboutin heels are engaging, flirtatious, memorable, and the color of passion. Each pair is a unique expression in personal style with a focus on bold bursts of color, technical innovations and unconventional materials.
  4. They’re Collectibles
    There’s a certain appeal and exclusivity that comes with owning these red bottomed beauties. Over the years, Christian Louboutin has released many different themed collections to the world. The more rare the material, the more exclusive and coveted they become. Men and women alike collect Louboutin’s just as a car enthusiast collects their Lamborghinis.
  5. They’re Sky High
    Not for the faint of heart. Christian Louboutin heels are sky high.They’re shorter from toe to heel, higher in the arch, and tighter across the width of the foot, than those of most designers, and their proportions have become even more exaggerated over the years. Elizabeth Semmelhack, of the Bata Shoe Museum, said, “He has sort of upped the ante in terms of how high the heel can soar.”
  6. Louboutin’s Attention to Detail
    There’s a high standard of craftsmanship, quality and attention to detail that comes with the name Louboutin. Beyond adornment, what draws the eye to the Louboutin foot is its silhouette. Christian Louboutin heels are known to give a woman superhero proportions and morph the body—lengthening the legs, defining the calves, and lifting the butt as radically possible.
  7. Christian Louboutin Heels Polish Any Outfit
    Regardless of your outfit, Christian Louboutin heels will polish and elevate it to the top. Pair them with your casual Friday look, wear them on the red carpet and vamp up your favorite denim. Any look is promised to be taken to a ten.

 

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They’re For Men Too

No longer just a phenomenon for women’s shoes…Christian Louboutin is ruling the men’s footwear world too with his red soles, spikes, and tassels.

From espadrilles to accessories like studded belt bags, Louboutin for men is officially a thing.

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Now that you know how to you pronounce Christian Louboutin and a bit about the history of the label, shop Christian Louboutin heels (and save up to 40%* off retail) or read more about other iconic footwear labels: Bottega Veneta, Sergio Rossi, & Malone Souliers.

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About the Author

Alex English is the Head of Content Marketing at italist.com, building on a lifelong passion for fashion and luxury. After publishing a lifestyle blog for nearly ten years and obtaining an MBA in Milan at SDA Bocconi, one of Europe’s top business schools, he joined the italist team in 2019. His work since then has focused on upper-funnel messaging, brand storytelling, establishing italist as a thought leader in the space, and enriching the customer experience on the platform. Find him on LinkedIn.

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