The spontaneous and clever use of red nail polish transformed the heart and sole of Christian Louboutin’s footwear. Now the iconic “Sammy red-bottoms” are playing a supporting role in nude new looks. 

Since the inception of the glossy red sole, Louboutin’s often notoriously high heels have been stamping out the pedestrian in footwear. Opening his first shop in Paris in 1991, as the sole employee, there are now close to 60 stores worldwide and staff numbering in the hundreds. The rapid expansion has seen Louboutin move from the cutting floor to designing while drifting down the Nile in luxury. The shoes are manufactured just outside Milan where dedicated craftspeople translate Louboutin’s whimsical pen and paper sketches into objects of almost sculptural worth.

As Louboutin mentioned in the New Yorker, sometimes the sketches are interpreted in unexpected ways, for instance in “electric-blue napa”. While electric-blue might favour the bold, the recent launch of his ‘nudesforall‘ collection, the designer has embraced nudes, well…for all. From sensible flats, cheeky peep toes and towering pumps, nudes have the benefit of neutrality and are universally flattering.

–Words by Deep Bajwa and Varia Karipoff