Elite Traveler Fall 2019

INFLUENCE BIG INTERVIEW

Christian Louboutin on why time is the ultimate luxury Since his first encounter as a teenager with the magical kingdom of Bhutan, French designer Christian Louboutin has been entranced with its architecture, art and people. He speaks to Kristen Shirley about culture, tradition and craftsmanship

Is it possible to conquer the world with stilettos? If you’re looking at the meteoric rise and enduring popularity of Christian Louboutin’s ubiquitous red-soled shoes, the answer is a resounding oui . With more than 150 boutiques worldwide — according to the brand, that is more than any other French designer — and a business that is exploding thanks to the development of new categories, including handbags, an ultra-luxe beauty collection and wildly creative men’s shoes, it seems there is no slowing down in sight for the world’s most recognizable shoe designer. Perhaps this is why he tells me that taking his time is his biggest luxury. Louboutin is speaking to me from his home in Portugal, fresh off the heels of Men’s and Couture Fashion weeks in Paris, and he is already hard at work designing future collections. In our conversation, I feel creativity inspiration and his travels, or as he waxes poetically on how personal everyone’s individual definitions of luxury are. Considering the demands of being the creative force behind such an enormous business, it is easy to see how time could be his ultimate luxury, because to truly be creative takes time. Time to think, time to dream, time to make mistakes, time to find inspiration. As the legendary fashion magazine editor Diana Vreeland famously said, “The eye has to travel.” And travel he does. Louboutin has homes in Paris, La Vendée in western France, Portugal, Brazil and Egypt — and a dripping from his every word, whether he is discussing his

"You understand a lot about a country through the craftsmanship and artisanship of the people."

very busy travel schedule. And through this globetrotting, he is always learning. “You understand a lot about a country through the craftsmanship and the artisanship of the people. This is what I love. It’s actually a tool of communication between people who are not necessarily speaking the same language.” By actually connecting with these artisans, not just admiring their work from afar, Louboutin finds

new sources of inspiration and new techniques to use. And a frequent stream of inspiration is a necessary requirement when one is primarily designing in a medium as limited and technical as a shoe. It is not just inspiration that Louboutin takes with him from his journeys. In his travels he has discovered who makes the best of the best, and he brings those skills into his manufacturing. Above all else is

Photos Macassar Productions