Christian Louboutin - St. Honoré (Paris, France)

Even though I already featured a Christian Louboutin boutique on this blog ages ago - the first ever of its kind to be opened and therefore probably still the most magical, on rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau - the immense popularity of the newest Parisian store made me want to post about the designer again. The main reason this flagship is a favorite is primarily it's convenient location, but it does have some interesting decor elements and is larger than the other two boutiques in Paris.

Still-life campaign from SS09.

Most people I know either hate or love the brand. It's not so much the shoes themselves that irritate the non-fans, but the fact that these days the signature red sole is used by certain posers as a way to show-off (much like a logo is misused in that respect) - a phenomenon mainly found in the fashion-obsessed capitals of the world. I once witnessed a woman in a cafe stretching her Louboutin-clad feet out in the air like there was no tomorrow, then propelling them back and forth (just in case someone had missed them) as if she were acting out some odd mating dance. In fact, many of my friends in Germany or Netherlands still think the red-soled Louboutins are a novel idea and are fascinated by the either intriciately embellished or stunningly simple heels. Which is probably the way to appreciate these shoes the most - i.e. loving the shoe for the actual shoe, not the sole alone.

Christian Louboutin at The Selby exchibition, incl. images of the Fetish heel (above) and the workshop (below).

I actually still like the brand a lot. There are some shoes I wouldn't touch, others I can't stop thinking about. I'm also fascinated by Louboutin himself, a man who draws a lot of his design inspirations from travels: he has houses in Paris, Spain, Portugal and Egypt to name a few, and loves going to less popular destinations like Uzbekistan. Supposedly one of the first things that triggered his shoe obsession at the age of 12 was a sign in the Oceanic Museum forbidding women to wear sharp-heeled stilettos to prevent scratching of the floor surface. He later went on to work for Charles Jourdan, then began an apprenticeship with Roger Vivier and freelanced for Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent. For some reason he went into garden design before starting his own business and opening up his first boutique (Jean-Jacques Rousseau) in 1992. Around this time he started painting the soles of his creations red - first inspired by an assistant's nail polish. When I visited The Selby exhibition earlier this year, a quote on the Louboutin wall regarding the red sole read "it is a green light... 'follow me young man'... it is a color of passion". And if you have any doubt as to how eccentric the man is, just take a look at the official homepage...

Official website featuring the SS09 collection. Mr. Louboutin as a caterpillar and a fly, which can be swatted if you click on it... I couldn't resist.

This boutique might seem quite small from the outside, but once you're inside, you'll realize that it's pretty spacious and consists of two floors. Of course before you even go in, you're bound to notice the incredible door handle, adorned with various mini CL shoes.

The impressive door handle (left) and the current window display (right).

While most Louboutin stores will look the same at first glance, they tend to have themes. The other flagship on rue de Grenelle, is also worth looking at, as it was sculpted to look like a giant aviary alcove. This boutique space on the other hand has a fun-fair theme. The colorful patchwork couches were designed by Elizabeth Garouste who Louboutin also hired to decorate his first store. But the most interesting and cool prop is undoubtedly the Ferris wheel, filled with a selection of heels that get to go around in circles.

Overview of the ground floor.

My kind of Ferris wheel...

Any seasoned Louboutin hunter knows that the stock will vary greatly from store to store and from day to day, so I won't go into great detail about which shoes I saw - I am posting plenty of pics though. This boutique tends to stock a good range of exotic animal skins, as the area is well-frequented and tends to attract wealthier tourists. Don't be surprised if you see Russian girls buying 4-5 pairs of shoes in one go (highly depressing if you're debating whether or not you can justify buying even one), as this brand tends to be pricier outside the EU.

A blinged-up shoe in an egg on a velvet pedestal (left) and more shoes on the fantasy table (right).

Suede and exotic skin creations (above) and leopard print heels (below).

On my last visit two days ago, I was surprised to see they still had a large selection of SS09 shoes, but a lot of the FW09 collection was already available including the blue python peep-toes, which were quite stunning to see in person and many of the thigh-high and ankle boots.

So many eggs...

Various large colorful eggs containing some of the more fancy shoes were placed around the boutique. No doubt Louboutin seems to like the analogy of his shoes being like exotic birds (I personally would choose a shoe over a parrot), a concept that initially inspired the various small cubbyholes in every flagship.

Overview of the first floor mezzanine.

Yet as most people liken his shoes to works of art, you'll also find small cubicles outlined in old-fashioned frames with the various heels being the masterpieces. More fantasy items included a small side-table adorned with animals made of straw and the very majestic looking stairs that lead up to the mezzanine. Once you're on the first floor, you'll see even more shoes (many of them embellished) and a small selection of bags. This area tends to be quieter and there are more seating areas with one sofa even overlooking the back garden. Another bonus is that you get to see the Ferris wheel from above. On my way back down, I also noticed for the first time, the giant replica of a crayfish stuck to the mirrored wall.

Jazzy flats for those who don't want heels.

The magnificent staircase, including a giant crayfish.

In general the SAs here are friendly but tend to be a bit stressed, especially during the weekends when the store is relatively busy. If you're in Paris and you're a die-hard CL fan, I'd probably advise you to visit all three flagships, since the brand isn't stocked in any other multi-brand boutique. Then again, I'm sure it's more fun to pretend you're at a fun-fair (filled with shoes no less) than being stuck in yet another anonymous department store.

The 'Marie Antoinette' on display.

More eye candy.

Address: 68 rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10:30-19:00
Christian Louboutin Homepage