Red Soles and Nail Polish

In 1993, Christian Louboutin's new collection of shoes was delayed by a few weeks. His intention was to create a design based on the Flowers painting by his close friend and party partner, Andy Warhol. However, when the prototype arrived from Italy, something was amiss. The pink-stacked heel and the large cloth blossom looked like the original design, but Louboutin still felt that something was missing.

After examining the blank, black sole of the shoe, Louboutin noticed an assistant in his office painting her nails red. Without seeking permission, he took the bottle of red varnish, painted the sole of one of the shoes, and realized, "This is the drawing!"

Thus, Louboutin's red soles were born. The designer has since stated that he chose the shiny red color for the soles because it is engaging, flirtatious, memorable, and passionate, and that its sole purpose was to identify the shoes as his brand.

Louboutin's red soles are now a recognizable brand icon, much like Chanel's interlocking C's. They are available in only one shade, Pantone 18-1663 TPX, and were registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 1997. This move would later be useful in a legal case against Yves St. Laurent, who created a collection featuring their own version of Louboutin's red soles, resulting in a dramatic controversy.