The maestro of chic women’s shoes, Christian Laboutin, offers a Spring Summer 2011 collection that features a full range of stunning cork wedgies and wedge-heeled espadrilles that prove just the thing to make a grand entrance once the warm weather arrives. Featuring some models, such as the sweetly named ‘I Love’, with a scooped out section at the rear of the wedge heel, these shoes are dripping with the poolside glamour of Hollywood’s heyday.
Christian Laboutin. 'Chus' from the SS11 collection
Primarily made in a singular bold colour, the spectrum available includes cool neutral tans, informal dark denim and zingy patent leather in shocking pink or summer sky blue. There are, however, a couple of exceptions such as the niftily nautical ‘Chus’ closed-toe sling-back which features bold sailor stripes and a patent leather toe in either red or bright yellow.
Styles include sling-backs, peep-toe or strappy sandals and the lines of all of these tend towards the simple and unfussy with eye-catching details such as oversized strap buckles in contrast covering colours on some of the models.
To promote the entire Spring Summer 2011 collection, Laboutin has once again collaborated with photographer Khuong Nguyen whose previous commissions for Laboutin proved such a hit. Proving once more that the shoes themselves make the best models for Laboutin, Khuong Nguyen inserts various shoes from the new collection into luscious fantasy landscapes, playfully imagining the shoes at home in their ‘natural habitats’ for the Spring Summer Tour project. This is just the latest in a long line of collaborations between Laboutin and artists of all disciplines. Previous projects include the fabulous ‘La Carrosse Noir’ project and working with David Lynch on an exhibition about fetish objects.
The panoramic images are at immediately congruent with the fun and eccentric image of Christian Laboutin, whose earliest foray into footwear – designing shoes for the Folies Bergere- came with a pedigree for a vision of glamour, showmanship and not a little camp cheekiness. With a track record of collaborations with the world’s top fashion houses that reads like a who’s who of all-time greats, Christian Laboutin’s own label rapidly rose to international prominence after its launch in the early 1990’s. Noted for his stunning design and fine craftsmanship, another ‘secret’ winning element that many fans are more than happy to divulge is that Laboutin manages the rare feat of combining sexiness with comfort.
Christian Laboutin. Spring Summer Tour project. Photo: Khuong Nguyen