Christian Louboutin: Sole of a Legend

This sounds like an empty boast, but I've met Monsieur Christian Louboutin many times - and he'll remember, almost none of it. Mostly because he does so much press and he's so impressive and personable, it makes the writer feel they are ol' chums. 

This is not new information but the uninitiated, Christian Louboutin’s path to becoming the world’s most recognisable shoe designer began in Paris, where he was born in 1963 [Same year as Sridevi - this will come up later]. A teenage runaway drawn to the city's nightlife and cabaret culture, he spent his early career designing shoes for the Folies Bergère before working under Roger Vivier. In 1991, he opened his first boutique in Paris, and a year later, the iconic scarlet sole was born - a stroke of genius inspired by painting his assistant’s nails with red polish. Today, that flash of crimson remains the ultimate global marker of luxury, seduction, and empowerment. His relevance endures because he views footwear not merely as an accessory, but as structural art that transforms posture, attitude, and confidence.

Global Modernity & The Hong Kong Chapter

Louboutin’s bond with Asia - and Hong Kong in particular - runs deep. Long before the region became a global luxury powerhouse, he fell in love with Asia’s vibrant colors, rich craftsmanship, and cinematic energy, drawing endless inspiration from its heritage.

Hong Kong held a special place in his expansion strategy. The Maison made history in 2007 by opening its very first Asian flagship on On Lan Street in Central. It has since moved to Prince's Building but really, you'll find his accessories in several luxury outlets in the city. Over the years, Louboutin was a frequent visitor to the city, regularly flying down to oversee collections, launch new concepts, and connect with local style connoisseurs.

Where to Buy in Hong Kong Today

• Landmark Prince’s (Central): Flagship boutique carrying full women’s and men’s collections.

• IFC Mall (Central): Dedicated women’s footwear and leather goods location.

• K11 MUSEA (Tsim Sha Tsui): Featuring latest seasonal collections across footwear and accessories.

• Harbour City (Tsim Sha Tsui) & Pacific Place (Admiralty): Dedicated boutiques and luxury department store counters (Lane Crawford).

Latest Line Highlights

The current collections merge signature theatricality with modern ergonomics:

• Women: Sleek, sharp iterations of the iconic Kate and So Kate pumps, updated with metallic finishes, seasonal embellishments, and comfort-focused engineering.

• Men: Heavy emphasis on hybrid silhouettes- combining signature spiked loafers (Dandelion) with elevated, sporty luxury sneakers (Loubishark) and refined evening boots featuring subtle red accents along the welt.

Love for Cinema, Bollywood, and Sridevi

Louboutin’s creative spirit is deeply intertwined with cinema, particularly his grand love affair with India and Bollywood. Having first traveled to India as a teenager, he developed an abiding obsession with the color, drama, and larger-than-life narrative style of Indian film.

Among his greatest muses was the legendary Sridevi. Louboutin expressed admiration for her screen presence and warmth, often hosting her and her family during his visits. Sridevi embodied the exact blend of grace, drama, and timeless glamour that his shoes celebrate. Imagine my pleasure at sitting down with him across the table as we discussed at length, my favourite topic in the world; the iconic Indian actress. Funnily enough, he was a huge fan of Sridevi, and not so much of Aishwarya Rai - we argued over la Rai, while Jing Zhang (who was moderating the talk), giggled at how serious we took the denizens of la la Bollywod. 

Up Close at The Upper House

During one of his memorable visits to Hong Kong, Louboutin took center stage at The Upper House for an intimate Up Close talk in the Sky Lounge. Attendees were treated to the quintessential Christian: intensely charming, remarkably candid, and wonderfully funny. Popular fashion scribe Jing Zhang was emcee and moderator. 

Rather than delivering a dry lecture on fashion, he regaled the audience with self-deprecating anecdotes - recounting his early days sneaking into Parisian theaters, the accident that led to the red sole, and his unbridled joy for travel. His warmth and wit left an indelible mark on the city's editorial and creative community. One slightly inebriated guest asked "Why are your shoes so painful - why don't you make them more comfortable?" He quipped back, "When my sales drop, I'll change the design. Why fix something that isn't broken?"

Post pandemic Loub has not returned to Hong Kong - we wait with breath that is baited. 

Christian Louboutin Unveils his New Sartorial Footwear Line in Paris

Louboutin puts his heart and sole into the latest collection for men.

In the heart of Paris, during Men’s Fashion Week, Christian Louboutin unveiled his latest Sartorial line—no, not menswear; Louboutin is not charting that far off course, but he has launched pairs of shoes that perfectly complete a man’s wardrobe. With the same exacting style he once reserved for women’s accessories, his latest line, meticulously crafted, is just for the gents, and they all sport the same signature blood-red sole. His enchanting showcase took place within the opulent salons of the Hôtel de Crillon, a Rosewood Hotel, where history and modernity coalesce, providing the perfect backdrop for an exploration of craftsmanship and innovation in men’s footwear—something we’ve been shedding light on for years.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Christian Louboutin and Sabyasachi Mukherjee in Hong Kong

A Sunday throwback; a memorable evening at Duddells.

Jing Zhang, former Fashion Editor of South China Morning Post, moderated the talk with two icons in the industry, 'the' Christian Louboutin and 'the', often mononymously known, "Sabya"  aka  designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

Louboutin is unquestionably one of the best interview subjects you can find, as articulate words pour out and his unflinching look at the industry and the ways of the world make for great, uncensored, non-pc copy. When his handlers leave him alone, he's great fun to chat with. At various points over the past 15 years, I've covered the man, his accessories in print - from early days of (the now defunct) Kee magazine, to Sentinel, to SCMP, Prestige and... so many others.

On a personal note, his fandom of Sridevi mirrors mine (his opinion of Aishwarya Rai however does not!). We've spoken at length about Bollywood. Good times.  Still my favourite person to interview.

With Sabya, just a fan. His work is second to none in India. But so shy and he wasn't doing press during his time here in HK. Well, not with my magazine back then.

Fashionistas click their heels and march smartly to new Shoe Library to greet their guru Louboutin: Christian Louboutin in Hong Kong

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