IF there’s a chance you’ve not heard of Christian Louboutin, your female colleagues most certainly have. They are like the Ferrari of stilettos: well-made and very expensive.
Since branching into handbags in 2003, the luxury French designer expanded his collection to include men’s shoes in 2011. The timing was rather adventitious.
“I always designed a few special shoes for men, but the first time I tried a proper collection was for the singer Mika, when he approached me to make shoes for his tour,” recalls Louboutin as he recounts how the men’s range came about during an interview with the South China Morning Post. When he was done designing for the Lebanese-born English recording artist and singer-songwriter, he found himself with an entire collection, as Mika didn’t need them all. So the remaining pieces were displayed on the shelves – and they flew off said shelves. 
The release of the men’s collection almost a decade ago was a big hit, especially with the metrosexual generation. It was also particularly popular with performing artistes, including the likes of Elton John, Pharrell Williams, Chris Brown among others. It kind of makes sense, since his first collection was designed for an artiste performing on stage.
Today the brand sells an estimated 200,000 pairs of men’s shoes a year according to WWD.com. With an estimated 135 boutiques and 400 points of sale in 60 countries, the brand continues to grow. From dress shoes to performance footwear, the SS2019 sneakers from Christian Louboutin are performance driven.
At the recent showing of the Spring/Summer 2019 collection, the founder proved that his creations work as good as they look with the new “Run Loubi Run” series. The sneaker collection, bold, unconventional and complete with Loubi Tag graffiti prints, marries style and performance.
For example, the sole of the fleshy sneakers incorporated technical foam in the heel and at the forefoot for maximum comfort and rebound. The series also features, for the first time, the red soles with Maison’s name engraved. There are also exquisite details including asymmetric lacing, unconventional lace loops, long folded branded ribbons, and glittery leather peaking. The iconic spike is highlighted on some of the key models. Here are some of the highlights from the collection.
