Photography by Olivier Saillant
The Henry Flat
Published: January 25, 2013
Christian Louboutin has announced the launch in February of a bespoke service to offer clients an opportunity to create a truly one-of-a kind shoe using exquisite embroideries.
The service will only be available at Louboutin’s men’s boutiques in Paris, London, New York, and Los Angeles, all of which also have a tattoo parlor, a concept born from the designer’s admiration for the art of tattooing.
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In a press statement, Christian Louboutin said the inspiration behind the service started as an idea for a present for a friend. “I made a pair of shoes for him embroidered with his tattoo. A lot of my friends have tattoos; I realized that it's not only just a part of pop culture but a bit of a map on someone's body which says something about people. A part of their life, like an armor or a crest. Instead of carrying someone else's crest on a loafer, I thought it would be a modern armor — your own crest on your own shoe.” he explained
Clients will be able to choose from a range of men’s styles, from the sporty Louis sneaker to the elegant Henri loafer and the newly introduced The Nigel, while the customization on ladies’ shoes will be available in a choice of four classic styles: the run- around-town Rollergirl flat, the Louis sneaker, the elegant Belle Ankle boot, and the sky high Highness pump.
As part of the service, the client will be able to choose from a selection of fabrications and a diverse color palette, as well as three different embroidery techniques: Outline and Shine, a technique which uses a black and silver thread; Color, using a dynamic colored thread; and Color and Relief, using vibrant colored thread as well as fine bead work.
Requiring three months from the day of order to the finished product, the shoes will travel through the hands of artisans in Italy and India before finding their way to their owner’s feet. The price for the bespoke ‘tattoos’? Between €1,060 and €4,000.
