PARIS — Receiving an invitation to the theater from Christian Louboutin during Paris Fashion Week, one can be assured to be in for a treat.
Through his “Loubi Show” format, the shoe guru has repeatedly shown a knack for conjuring loud spectacles and enlisting a vast array of talents to collaborate with — and the latest installation staged at Théâtre du Châtelet here on Friday was no exception.
The designer called on no less than Dita Von Teese to present his spring 2027 collection, centered on celebrating his iconic La Pigalle pump. Named after the famous Parisian district and first introduced in 2004, the style has become a Louboutin signature with its sleek proportions expressing the sensuality embedded in the brand.
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To match the vibe, Louboutin asked Von Teese to do what she does best: seduce the audience with wit, in a performance that drew a packed guest list headlined by Cynthia Erivo, Elizabeth Debicki and Jaden Smith, who Louboutin tapped last year to become his first men’s creative director roughly 15 years after he first expanded his red-soled universe into men’s. Designers such as Jean-Paul Gaultier and Matières Fécales’ Hannah Rose Dalton and Steven Raj Bhaskaran — who have recently collaborated with Louboutin — also joined to show support for the shoe master.
The audience — which additionally included Heidi Klum, Daphne Guinness, Pom Klementieff, Kelsea Ballerini, Law Roach, Huda Kattan, Ellen von Unwerth and Lena Mahfouf, to name a few — was in for a show dubbed “Eternal Youth.” It was developed under the artistic direction of Louboutin along with French set and costume designer Bruno de Lavenère, who has collaborated with the likes of Paris Opera and Bolshoi Theatre, as well as co-designed the scenography of the Paris Olympic Games’ opening ceremony in 2024, and director Olivier Balazuc.
To be sure, the Louboutin show alternated Von Teese’s signature burlesque acts with choreography by Josépha Madoki and Bachana Chanturia of Bachana Dance Company, with intermezzos of modern music, arias by soprano Catherine Trottmann and classical repertoire from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Vivaldi played by the Appassionato choir and orchestra under the lead of conductor Mathieu Herzog.
Von Teese first appeared onstage as a character reminiscent of Snow White — replete with perfect black coif, red lips, pristine look and forbidden fruit in hand — but the narrative took a different direction. Rather than a heroine rescued by a prince, she was the protagonist of a story of empowerment.
As Von Teese confronted another version of herself — a blonde rival and alter ego that embodied the contradictions existing within every identity — and throughout her transformation across different scenes, the performer donned costumes including a glitzy corset by designer Mr. Pearl, a white cape by John Galliano and a head piece by milliner Stephen Jones, who was also in attendance.
A series of shoes punctuated the show, starring both in the scenography and on the performers’ feet. They ranged from sparkly pumps to styles recalling Seven-League boots and Hermès’ winged sandals, intended to evoke the themes of movement and freedom.
The standout style was the La Pigalle pump, representing a symbol of confidence and emancipation. It was recreated in a scaled-up prop for Von Teese’s final performance, when her elegant undressing act culminated in an explosion of confetti and fire rain. In the subsequent final bow, Louboutin himself joined the stage as he was revealed to be the masked character that previously joined Von Tease in a scene.
One-of-a-kind La Pigalle creations crafted by the brand’s atelier also included pumps with golden feathered wings and the Macbetha design worn by Von Teese, referencing Lady Macbeth via dark crystals and an added metal cage evoking skeletal forms.
These designs were flanked by a reinterpretations of the Ballerina Ultima conceived in 2007. Inspired by the extreme verticality of a ballerina’s en pointe position, the new fire red iteration featured an embroidered upper, crystal-encrusted soles and flashy embellishments on the heel.
All styles were displayed in the gilded halls of the theater, where guests experienced another live music performance and sipped cocktails with evocative names, such as the gin-based “Nude Queen” and “Red Ballerina” or the tequila-based “Heels Up!”
