If Christian Louboutin could have any superpower, it would be invisibility. “You could sneak in anywhere,” he said, grinning as he pondered the possibilities.
A fan of Marvel comic-book superheroes since his tweens, the Paris-based footwear guru has designed a capsule collection of shoes, bags and caps dedicated to its universe as part of Marvel parent Disney’s 100th anniversary celebrations.
Arriving in stores and online on Oct. 4, the designs are drenched in fantasy and are accompanied by a limited-edition comic book portraying Louboutin as an Egyptian archeologist with extraordinary powers of embellishment. He shares an adventure with Marvel characters including Black Widow, Shuri, Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers, too.
It’s billed as the first time Marvel has portrayed a fashion figure as a superhero.
Disclosing the collaboration in an exclusive interview, Louboutin said he approached the project with zeal, given his fascination with strong characters, engrossing narratives, color, and the bombastic onomatopoeia words he discovered in the comic books of his youth and the original “Batman” television series from the late ’60s.
Bam! Pow! Among the elements from Marvel he applied to shoes and bags are Infinity Stones, which stud heels, and the fish scales of Namor, AKA the Sub-Mariner, paying homage to his undersea world.
Louboutin also couldn’t resist taking cues from Moon Knight’s silvery, mummy-like wrappings, yielding some of the most audacious styles, and exalting a Marvel character he hinted moviegoers might see more of soon.
The designer’s first comic book heroes were Tarzan and his prehistoric French cousin Rahan, both “super strong, and super naked.” Once he discovered superheroes came with incredible costumes, he was smitten.
“I loved the drawings, and I loved the graphics,” he enthused, describing the wonder that children feel discovering characters with special powers.
Louboutin was adamant that his Marvel project not be digital — he’s a champion of reading and drawing — echoing the approach to introducing a children’s range last year, which also came with a comic book.
His sure-to-be-collectible Marvel story — titled “The Loubiverse Explodes!” — depicts the designer as something of a goofball who eventually reveals an arsenal of creative powers, as he possesses IRL. So instead of battling bad guys, he’s seen embellishing and empowering, making people dream, and looking at the world with childlike wonder.
According to Louboutin, the moral of the Loubiverse comic book is that “if you like people, and you look closely at them,” normal people radiate some kind of superpower, whether it be kindness, charm, dedication or sex appeal.
While Louboutin is known for his sophisticated designs, his clients relate strongly when there is a fantasy, storytelling element, he said.
To be sure, his towering, high-heeled gladiator sandals in iridescent leather are a conversation-starter.
Tasia Filippatos, president of Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing, called the co-branded range with Louboutin “fun and completely different for the consumer by telling fresh and unexpected stories based on Marvel’s famous comic book characters.”
“The range is surprising, visually stunning and steeped in storytelling,” she added, noting “our goal was to offer a unique take on an elevated lifestyle collection.”
Louboutin is certainly no stranger to The Walt Disney Company. Back in 1996 he created several styles for the live action remake of “101 Dalmations” starring his friend Glenn Close. He went on to design a version of the famous “Cinderella” shoe, along with projects for “The Muppets,” “Maleficent” and also “Star Wars.”
For his latest project, Louboutin relished the opportunity to explore Marvel’s impressive catalogue of characters, numbering in the thousands, and witnessing how they evolved over the decades.
For example, Namor, whose exoticism has long captivated Louboutin, has gone through several incarnations since the 1940s, with the designer picking up Yul Brynner vibes.
The collection will be sold in select Christian Louboutin boutiques worldwide, on christianlouboutin.com, and at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City and Bal Harbour in Miami. Prices for shoes range from $1,195 to $3,995; bags from $2,390 to $3,490, and children’s styles from $545 to $595.
Only 1,500 copies of the Loubiverse comic book are being produced for the designer’s top clients.
Disney has unveiled an array of fashion collaborations for its centenary, including ones with Tommy Hilfiger, Givenchy, Vera Bradley, Pandora, H&M and GucciGhost.
