Christian Louboutin Exhibition

The Fashion Institute of Technology is offering us a beautiful exhibit: from March 13 throughout April 19, the FIT will display some of Christian Louboutin 's renowned shoe designs. . Kudos and thanks are conveyed to Dr. Joyce Brown, Dr. Valerie Steele and Dr. Steven Zucher for a very well put together exhibit.

Mr Louboutin is without any doubt the most celebrated shoe designer and maker nowadays. His designs burst with a unique sense of creativity and haven't met their match so far. The exhibit is a superb display of unique pieces, with photographs of icons like Marilyn Monroe to explain part of the creative process. All the shoes are amazing, in the sense that they are unique. Mr Louboutin's superb sense of artistry is perfectly highlighted.

The exhibit plays along with Christian Louboutin 's sense of discretion about his personal life: narrow beams of light showcase the shoes, and around, semi darkness. The written signs and panels informing the viewers are few: the exhibit has us enjoying beautiful works of art, yet our knowledge of the designer remains scarce, even mysterious. Christian Louboutin is like a magician, bringing to reality shoes that in a sense, seem to belong to dreams or rather to a fairy tale... the most extraordinary mix of creativity, ideas, and knowledge.

The exhibit allows us to glimpse at the Fetish Ballerinas, shoes with heels as high as the length of the sole. They were created for a 2007 exhibit entitled "Fetish" in collaboration with David Lynch. The Piet Mondrian Platform is a beautiful and iconic homage to both the Dutch artist as well as Yves Saint Laurent 's 1965's dress based on Mondrian's work. The Guiness Pump addresses recycling issues as well as the Trash Pump does. The delicate design of a beautiful pair of lilac-colored shoes adorned with a flower of the same color reminds us that Mr. Louboutin is not merely a modern designer with sometimes eccentric ideas but a very gifted and talented man.

The designs displayed at the FIT are masterworks. The selection of shoes shows very well the various influences that help the designer in his creative work. Inspiration draws from historical references, his own environment as well as his personal experiences. The Fetish shoes allude of the times spent at the famed Parisian lounge "Le Palace" and the Mondrian shoes celebrate a long collaboration with Yves Saint Laurent. Christian Loubourin is an extraordinary person who creates extraordinary shoes.

- Muriel Triffaut for Daily Fashion Report