The iconic red-soled heels; powerful, glamorous and timeless – they direct attention to its creator, the world-renowned Parisian shoemaker, Christian Louboutin. The French gent has added one more accomplishment to his success list, with a grand unveil of his latest L’Exhibition[niste] at Palais de la Porte Dorée Museum in Paris. And, it is not just a showcase of his artsy footwear, but an extensive archive of his fine craft, design and collaborations with artists from around the world.
L’Exhibition[niste] is currently the largest exhibit by Christian Louboutin, a journey down the creative lane of 30 years of his artisanship. Before the showcase opened to public on February 26, for a five-month long display till July 26, the designer hosted an exclusive reveal with a private cocktail and dinner soiree for his celebrity friends and guests.
A majority of the work exhibited at Palais de la Porte Dorée Museum has never been displayed to the public before. Now, visitors can step in the artistic universe of Louboutin through a 11-chapter series of his personal art collections and his luxurious creations from sketches, paintings and footwear to objects; curated by Olivier Gabet, Director of the Musée Des Arts Décoratifs.
There are distinct Installations and rare pieces such as a sculpted cabaret from Bhutan, stained glass panel by the Maison du Vitraul and a giant Louboutin shoe embroidered by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, which sits on a Sevillian silver palanquin by L’Orfebreria Villarreal. Shown alongside these objet d’arts are his collaborations with designers Lisa Rei-hana, Imran Qureshi, Whitaker Malem, and photographer David Lynch amongst others.
The final touch to this experience is a separate section at the museum, called the ‘Imaginary Museum’, which presents all of Christian Louboutin’s inspirations and references.
Early in his life, the designer was not only influenced by the architectural richness of the museum, but also inspired by a board sign at Palais which prohibited women from wearing high heeled footwear; this marked the invention of Louboutin’s signature red-soled Pigalle pumps, which stand high in style even today.
