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.

Top Five Shoes: Menswear Accessories that are Simply the Best: Editor's Pick: Tom Ford to Zanotti

Quality, precision, elegance, timelessness and perhaps a bit of whimsy - why not? The best in shoes I found last year. 

Boots
Giuseppe Zanotti Jaure

When a brand is a staple on the red carpet, known for its bejewelled heels and glittering leather accessories, the men’s section often gets relegated to a forgotten corner. Not today—Italian luxury footwear brand Giuseppe Zanotti has consistently had a men’s footwear section boasting key components of style, refined aesthetics, and incomparable quality. Our latest peek at the gentleman’s department of Zanotti reveals vibrant sneakers, fashion-forward moccasins, and urban-inspired boots, but our eyes are drawn to the Jaure ankle boots, with a shearling inner lining and chunky soles. Practical and functional are not often operative words in fashion and accessories, but Zanotti does it so effortlessly, and the Jaure is elegant to boot. Pun intended.

Oxfords
Perry Ercolino Audley

Custom-made Perry Ercolino shoes have been featured in Robb Report for years and, upon revisit, it’s not a comeback to the list, but a reminder of why he’s still among the best in the business. In his own words, Ercolino has been creating—not following—footsteps in fashion: “With proper care, shoes at this level can last many years. In 2023, the trend that seems to be most prevalent for young professionals is getting back to being well-dressed, both for casual and work attire. Show them great options and they will respond; the men and women who are looking to reset their wardrobe choices can and should be a bit more discriminating. Classics still rule the day, and a timeless piece of clothing or footwear will pay dividends every time.”

Brogues
Silvano Lattanzi EG1 in Alligator Leather

Since 1971, Italian shoemaker Silvano Lattanzi has been handcrafting exquisite leather footwear for discerning gentlemen, drawing from his vast archival “laboratory” of textiles, patterns, colours, and patinas to inform his creations. “All of the collections that I have ever designed and made personally from 1971 to today are stored. Each model can still be reproduced today,” says Lattanzi of his extensive library, which includes this two-tone stunner inspired by a Van Gogh painting. “In Italy, the work of manual skills has not been completely lost, and the shapes [and] styles that are worn by royalty are still on trend.” He tells Robb Report Hong Kong that “the good God, he sent me to Earth to make good shoes.” Amen to that.

Loafers
Tom Ford “Sean” Alligator-Print Tassel Loafers

Start your look from the feet and work your way up, as per the stylist of the dapper man, in which case, let the sartorial canvas begin at the toes of Tom Ford. Bring out the hidden rockstar in you with almost any of the patterned designs from his footwear line, but we are head over heels for this pair of alligator-print tasselled loafers—the quality is next-level, and we’re figuratively and literally at the feet of Ford as he struts away from the empire he built. As the American fashion designer has famously stated, his range is for “men who appreciate detail and quality.” Hence, “the product must be the best.” Ford may be offloading his eponymous business to Estée Lauder to focus on film projects, but he’s sure stepping out in style.

Japanese Shoemaking
Yohei Fukuda Ebony

Patience is key when it comes to getting your hands on a pair of bespoke shoes crafted by Japanese artisan Yohei Fukuda—his years-long waitlist can attest to that. Fukuda’s most recent visit to Hong Kong in spring 2023, a by-appointment-only trunk show at The Armoury, was a scintillating affair for shoe aficionados who appreciate style and precision. Fukuda, a master craftsman who trained at the Tresham Institute in Northamptonshire, has always eschewed trends for timelessness: “We don’t intend to make a shoe that’s about fashion. I want my shoes to be classic so the customer can wear them for 20 or 30 years.” You can pick up a pair of Ebony full brogues in black calf leather from his ready-to-wear collection, but if and when you get an audience with the shoemaker, do yourself a favour and go for custom.

More at RobbReport.hk

SJP in the City: Sarah Jessica Parker Dips Her Feet Into Hong Kong Stores. Finally!

 Gents sit this one out; Sarah Jessica Parker’s shoes are in Hong Kong. That sound you hear? That’s a collective gasp in the air.

When the press release landed in our offices, a literal squeal perforated the otherwise silent air in our neon-lit conference room. “Sarah Jessica Parker in Hong Kong,” said someone. The fashionable star in a city still under the aegis of government sanctioned quarantine and the strictest covid restrictions and rules on planet earth? How can this be. 

“Not her, you fool, the SJP the shoes!” said the fashion savvy one and left us twiddling our thumbs. Oh!  

So the newsflash is, as of Sept 1, in the year of our lord 2022, SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker is now available exclusively at Lane Crawford, much to the palpable and audible delight of her devoted fans. All 8.3 million of them on Instagram – slightly above the population of Hong Kong.  

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

Robb Report Hong Kong’s Christmas Gift Guide 2023: 7 Shoes That Pair Perfectly With Your Holiday Threads

In footwear news this season, we jazz it up for the holidays, keeping in mind that comfort is key.

Like a broken Last Christmas record, it is frequently mentioned that uncomfortable designer shoes are the purview of the women’s department. On the other hand, the era of uncomfortable men’s shoes ended over a century ago—and luckily, there are no smoke signals that sole discomfort will ever loom again. Sure, a new leather shoe can sometimes slice the skin, and you really do need to break into some new kicks, but with the pandemic, as well as American cinema, music, and celebrity influence, we have seen sneakers permeate office culture. European brands have succumbed to the plush pleasures of relaxed footwear, albeit in dapper tones and silhouette. Soft leather, a curved anklet (the smoother back end of the shoe), style-revolutionising slip-ons, no laces, and more have made “anything goes” the mantra of the season. There might be cobblers of yore rolling in their graves, but we’re stepping into the new year in comfort and style with these picks.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

Sneakerheads: A shoe in.

Originally, the idea started with a profile of one person who collected sneakers - then it snowballed into this eight-pager as Leo Chow pointed to these incredible serious collectors who knocked me down with statistics; over 500 pairs of shoes, a value of over $5 million.

No one in high fashion paid attention to sneakers in the ’80s, but, with prices for prize examples going stratospheric, look at them now!! We record an oral history of the humble accessory that’s now a blue-chip commodity.

Read the entire feature online here.

PS: One of the three pics in the mag shot by me - if you take 100 pics, one will turn out ok! ;0) .... This is also why we hire the best photographers in the world. Shout out to Natalie Dunn who did an amazing job.

Outtakes: Mama Mia!! Hong Kong's most glamorous moms for a Mother's Day Special: With Alison Chan El Azar, Ana R and Louise Wong. And Sergio Rossi

Pls grab the May 2019 issue of Prestige Hong Kong for this gorgeous shoot with some of my fav ladies - and their kids. 

The feature and shoot 'In her Shoes' (thank you Sergio Rossi!) was uber stressful leading up to the day. 

But the munchkins made the day soooo much fun. Shout out to the super mums (btw every day is Mother's day - just sayin'!) Alison Chan El Azar, Ana R and Louise Wong.

Pleasure & Pain: Exclusive interview with shoe designer Sam Edelman

Shoe designer Sam Edelman knows what women want, and how much they're willing to suffer for it, writes P.Ramakrishnan.

Sam Edelman wears loafers - a far cry from the forbidding footwear he creates for women. "I personally wear classic shoes from brands like J.M. Weston and a few European designers. They're great, they're comfortable, they're timeless," he says. "But working with, and working for women is much more fun."

The American shoe designer was in Hong Kong recently to launch his Spring-Summer 2012 collection at Lane Crawford, where two exclusive styles - "Lizette" (below) and "Addy" - are about drawing the fine line between fetish and fashion.

"It's always been that way when you look at the history of fashion for women," says Edelman. "From corsets to foot binding, clogs to perilously high heels, women can put up with a lot of pain for the price of beauty. I think that's one of the surprising things I've seen over my 30 years in the business.

"To be beautiful, to have beautiful things, the perception of beauty, there will always be a great demand for it. It's recession proof."

It may be oft said, but the designer has seen for himself the cyclical nature of fashion. In the early '80s the Edelman flat ballet shoe was the iconic must-have, which helped launch the brand by capturing the zeitgeist of the moment. The stilettos, platforms, boots and wedges have come and gone, and the flat, in its latest, gilded avatar (in silver, gold, metallic shades with sparkling embellishments) is back again.

"It may be back, but of course it's different," says Edelman. "You can't pull out the old '70s shoe from the back of your closet and try to work it. Technology and quality has improved by leaps and bounds. Even in a classic shoe, there's innovation there."

As Edelman expands into the Asian market, he says it's clear to him that women, from any part of the globe, want the same things. "Whether it's a lady from New York or New Delhi, China or Chicago, they want to be in trend, they want to be noticed. So even if it's a cowboy-range style - which I think will be in for this coming year - it'll be the same. I don't change my designs or ship out any item to a market based on the people in that market. They're the same," he says. "A fashionable woman in New York to a fashionable woman in Shanghai, they get the same quality product. It goes without saying, but the fashion world's got smaller. Women are educated about what's in, so you can't fool them."

March 2, 2012
Style magazine