Tuesday, October 6, 2020

You Are Cordially Invited To Christian Louboutin’s Virtual S/S'21 Showcase

Tasked with finding a new way to show his spring/summer 2021 collection during a pandemic, Christian Louboutin hit upon a characteristically inventive approach. Rather than a film or lookbook, the famed shoemaker has unveiled an immersive virtual world to rival any FROW.

“I’m really a traveller, and digital offers the possibility to imagine any kind of world you want to be projected into,” he tells British Vogue. Thanks to the technology of Zepeto, a Korea-based app that allows users to explore different environments via personalised avatars, fans can take in the latest Christian Louboutin spring styles in a virtual setting. Step right this way: Loubi World awaits!

Invited to create their own characters with which to discover the romantic delights of Paris in Loubi World, the British Vogue editors were amongst the members of the press and customers duly transformed into avatars to explore the designer’s virtual universe, having styled their alter-egos in clothes available on the app. 


A carousel, the glistening lights of the Eiffel Tower, an ice cream stand, a classic French brasserie, and screens showing the spring/summer 2021 campaign are just some of the details included in the virtual Loubi World, along with Galerie Véro-Dodat, the covered gallery passage in Paris’s 1er arrondissement where Louboutin opened his first store back in 1991. Visitors can also interact with other avatars, visit the disco room – where you might catch a live performance from King Princess – or head to the colourful boutique to “try on” the new-season shoes.

Louboutin’s reimagining of the fashion show is a welcome distraction from London’s grey skies; what’s more, its an inclusive way of expanding the brand’s audience and reach – particularly among Gen Z, Zepeto’s main demographic.

Over 60 designs from the latest release have been digitised for Loubi World. Among them: patchwork booties and fringed knee-highs for winter, plus summer-ready suede mules and flats, and kitten heels in an array of pastel colours. Key styles include the Pic Heel stiletto, the showstopping platform Stage boots, and the Vida Viva sneaker (complete with detachable sole). They are thrillingly realistic – the designer insisted the definition should allow his shoes to shine. After all, if he was going to go digital, he says, “the discovery had to be as good as a presentation in real life. And it’s definitely the case here!”

Fans should also keep their eyes peeled for Christian’s favourite pair – the Loubishark – a pair of trainers which feature a unique shark-teeth sole. “It’s a very manga mood,” he says. “Playful and colourful.”

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