Christian Louboutin is one of the best-loved shoe designers in the world. Instantly recognizable by the trademark red sole, his shoes are worn by the most fashionable, glamorous and wealthiest women in the world (Catherine Deneuve and Princess Caroline of Monaco are two of his most avid supporters).
Louboutin’s lifelong love affair with shoes began early on as a child when one day he passed by the Museum of Oceanic Art in Paris and there was a sign showing a stiletto heel crossed out by two thick lines, reminding female visitors not to scratch the wooden floor with their shoes. Because he felt so bothered by the sign he began drawing shoes with compressed buckles and soles.
Louboutin admits to having spent a lot of time as a teenager doodling these same types of shoes in his notebooks at school. It is these very shoes that would become the base of Louboutin’s sales as a designer.
While developing his skills as a shoe designer he attended various designing schools, such as Chanel’s and Saint Laurent’s and eventually opened his first boutique in Paris. His store became famous not only because of his clientele, but also because he offered free coffee to shoppers.
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