Footwear fans now have another place where they can splurge on killer heels. Lane Crawford's newly renovated Canton Road store has more than 25,000 square feet dedicated to shoes on a floor styled by local designer Andre Fu.
The upmarket retail chain invited French shoe designer Christian Louboutin to Monday's grand opening of The Shoe Library. Famous for his signature red-soled, flirty and super-sexy heels, Louboutin is no stranger to Hong Kong, having first visited in 1994. He has also just produced a coffee table book to celebrate 20 years in the trade.
Some of the city's most stylish women took time out of their busy festive schedules to meet the mastermind. Qiqi Yam, model and wife of veteran actor Simon Yam Tat-wah, has a hectic timetable for the holidays, but wasn't going to miss the chance to greet the man responsible for her shoe racks.
"Our family and about 20 friends are off to Taiwan for Christmas and to visit Simon on his film set," Yam said.
Meanwhile, later that same night, at a book signing at The Space, the audible gasp as the dapper Louboutin strutted in could be measured in high decibels as the ever-so-fashionable designer sat for two uninterrupted hours, signing his HK$1,400 book, Christian Louboutin - 20 Years.
“I don’t design shoes according to country, origin, borders,” he said, between posing for a flurry of i-cams. “I just make shoes to make women feel beautiful. Every time I’ve come to Hong Kong, its been a wonderful experience. The beautiful women of all ages, I feel loved – and I love them back.”
Among those loved women, we found Marisa Zeman in the melee, “I have several of his shoes and of course I’m a huge fan”, she said, pointing to her own black, pointy-toed, red soled pairs. “I sat next to him at a dinner last year and he’s the most charming man.”
We saw a phalanx of models, led by the perpetually lovely Jocelyn Luko armed with hubby Anthony Sandstrom and model turned ace travel photographer David Elliot at the event. The gorgeous stylist Tina Leung was seen racing in at the n’th hour, after a long shoot that kept her away, while fashion blogger, the bespectacled Denise Lai was seen trying to grab a quick shot of the man himself.
The delightful Marina Bullivant was seen chatting with Shirley Hiranand and Reyna Harilela who were there in their bejeweled Indian finery – as they were hosting the event just as the festivities of Aaron Harilela’s wedding had begun on the other side of the island.
It wasn’t just the women, the ever-fashionable Peter Cheung, from Van Cleef & Arpels, was seen in a black men’s shoe studded with silver dots, “They’re really comfortable too.”
Words every designer wants to hear.
P. Ramakrishnan
* Photos from my cam - the pro shots were in print! Rama
