Always intrigued to read about a creative professional who succeeds in brand-building. Christian Louboutin, the French shoe designer has succeeded by every professional and trend-meister measure–though the most validating may be that celebs actually PAY for his shoes! Instead of the typical trunk show, focused on peddling, his obsessed collectors bring a favorite pair of new shoes–only one per customer–for him to autograph his signature red soles.
I thought this quote in the current May 2010 Vanity Fair profile revealed savvy self-awareness about what his product provides his customers:
“Half of my women want a shoe to make them look a little tarty, and the other half are big tarts who want a shoe that looks classy. I think that in both cases the shoe completes the woman, gives them the element they don’t have in themselves.”
