Any shoeaholics... No I hate that made up word, let me start again - any girls out there with a soft spot (and subsequent empty purse...) for shoes needs to hot foot it down to the Design Museum to see the last week of Christian Louboutin: 20 Years.
The retrospective marks the twentieth anniversary of Louboutin's first ever boutique in Paris in 1992 and brings together highlights from the famed French designer's illustrious career - from stilettos to lace-up boots, studded sneakers and bejewelled pumps - all decorated with his trademark, iconic Pantone 18 Chinese red leather soles.
The exhibition focuses on the inspiration behind Louboutin's designs with movies about Crazy Horse showgirls and music hall dancers, sketches of his initial design concepts from his atelier and stories from his travels and time at the Folies Bergère. There's also a spectacular 3D lifesize holographic Dita Von Teese as the centrepiece, which I'd never seen anything like before.
The Design Museum has been transformed into an OTT cabaret space with black walls, red velvet curtains, spotlights, lightbulb mirrors, golden stands and fairground carousel displays to present about 100 pairs of Louboutin's most inspiring, theatrical, innovative, stylish and downright sexy designs.
Christian Louboutin's shoes have adorned the feet of the world's most famous and glamorous women. The designer has said that growing up surrounded by his mother and three sisters gave him a privileged insight into the female mind. He set out to "make shoes that are like jewels" and designs for every woman's "inner showgirl" and believes a pair of heels changes a woman's body language. I totally agree and you certainly can't shuffle down the street without a kick in your step when your shoes look like this... Cheers to another twenty years, Monsieur Loubi.
Christian Louboutin: 20 Years runs 1 May - 9 July 2012
Design Museum, 28 Shad Thames, London SE1 2YD
