The Godfather of Sole
FASHION THE GODFATHER OF SOLE For Christian Louboutin’s passionate customers– Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga, the Olsen twins, and Oprah, among others–his red-soled confections are far more than footwear, and their creator far more than a designer. For the shoe god himself, who recently completed a line of Barbies, the line between fashion and fetish is nearly invisible BY VANESSA GRIGORIADIS eep in the heart of conspic- dot dresses and chunky David Yurman ban- !oors, and the ambient trill of women com- uous consumption, in a gles, at South Coast Plaza to fête Louboutin, plimenting other women on their shoes. A 2.6-million-square-foot lux- the warm, quizzical 46-year-old king of the boutique party? Didn’t we replace these ury mall in Orange Coun- heel—the “new Manolo Blahnik,” according long ago with Art Basel and the Venice ty, there is, on a warm eve- to Visionaire co-founder Cecilia Dean—or, Biennale—places where similar fabulously ning last spring, a small as one Mercedes-coupe-driving, abundantly shod people stand around and look at art private party for Christian Louboutin. This is spray-tanned Louboutin devotee puts it, cut- they don’t completely understand? Maybe Da time in which every woman must whisper ting through the air with her French-manicured this is full circle, because on this night—just about her purchases and feel like Cinderella’s nails, “our shoe god!” one of a staggering number of nights that wicked stepsister for contemplating so gauche There’s something so 1999, so Sex and parties like this are thrown around the globe a desire as a thousand-dollar pair of leopard- the City about this scene, with the copious in Louboutin’s honor—we are celebrating a print booties.
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