100 Most Influential People in Fashion

Fashion Influential #66: Christian Louboutin

Designer Christian Louboutin is the go-to guy for sexy women's shoes. Getty Images.

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Born:
With Some Text. Designed for:
Charles Jourdan, Roger Vivier, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent
Fan of:
showgirls, Tina Turner, David Lynch, Pedro Almodovar
Fans:
Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst, Tyra Banks, Hillary Duff, Jessica Alba, Angelina Jolie...

Beginnings.
Parisian designer Christian Louboutin was a teenager when he began his design career. He spent the majority of his teen years sketching shoes - heels, heels with buckles, heels with buckles and bows (legend has it he was inspired by a sign at the Museum of Oceanic Art that warned ladies not to scratch the wooden floors with their shoes). He eventually attended the Academie Roederer in the late 1970s, later landing an internship at Charles Jourdan.

Career Highs.
After a decade of freelance work for Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, Louboutin opened a flagship boutique in Paris in 1991. His lucky break came when Princess Caroline of Monaco happened to be cooing over his shoes the same day a fashion journalist was in the shop. His list of high profile clients quickly multiplied. He is currently at the top of his career, with his beloved red-soled shoes favorited by every fashionista and actress on the red carpet.
Running through life means nothing to me. You've got to take the time to see what is around you. You will have more experiences and more stores.
- Christian Louboutin

Louboutin's shoes are famous for their cherry red soles.

Career Lows.
Louboutin, who loves to travel and claims to draw inspiration from foreign destinations, launched a line of handbags in 2003 that still hasn't reached the same level of popularity as have his shoes. Obviously, he doesn't have much to worry about.

Legacy.
Louboutin has said his mentor Roger Vivier taught him all he needed to know about shoes - that if the internal structure is perfect, everything else is an embellishment. Louboutin signature heel is an example of perfect architecture: its core design makes it a tremendously sexy shoe, regardless of what lies on the surface. His stiletto heels will be imitated for decades.

Louboutin has a tremendous celebrity following.
Get the Look.
There is no substitute for a Louboutin shoe. If they run a bit too steep for you, rest assured that less prestigious fashion lines are making their own knock offs of each of Louboutin's collections. Still, your best bet may be getting a simple pair of black patent leather Louboutin heels. Sure, they're pricey, but they'll last you much longer than any imitations.

- Alicia