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In the Studio: Christian Louboutin - Shoe Designer

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Christian Louboutin - Shoe Designer

07/11/2017 GMT

BBC World Service - In the Studio, Christian Louboutin - Shoe Designer

Christian Louboutin takes us through his design processes for Paris Fashion Week

Christian Louboutin takes us through his design processes as he prepares a new collection for Paris Fashion Week.

Christian Louboutin is one of the world’s best-known shoe designers. His famously red soled, beautifully-crafted creations can be spotted on film stars, royalty, even America’s first lady.
Oscar-nominated actress, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, meets the designer in his private studio on the Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau in central Paris, France.
 
Despite being friends for over 20 years, Kristin has never been in this space before. As she discovers, the previous owner was an eccentric photographer, once married to Brigitte Bardot’s sister, who had three obsessions: ski chalets, bullfighting and boats. And the highly unusual decor was created for him by a famous 1950s French set designer Alexander Trauner.

It’s coming up to Paris Fashion Week and Christian is preparing to launch his collection for Spring Summer 2018. Christian gives us detailed insight into his creative process from the initial sketches to working with prototypes and the big reveal of the finished collection. 

He describes himself as being a bit like Asterix the Gaul, in the famous French comic strip, who loved roasted boar and would see things everywhere transformed as his favourite dish. Except Christian sees things transformed as a shoe. For example, he shows Kristin a bow inspired by a cake decoration.

One of Christian’s major inspirations is travel, particularly India, and we learn how this influences his designs. And together they touch on the psychology of shoes in what is a fun and refreshingly intimate conversation between friends.

(Photo: Christian Louboutin with Dame Kristin Scott Thomas)

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