Christian Louboutin and Pierre Yovanovitch collaboration honours women from history and popular culture

Christian Louboutin, the man behind his eponymous shoe label, is more than a footwear designer. His universe also spans performance, with a stint as guest creator at the famed Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris; beauty — he has a self-named cosmetics line; a foray into the world of hospitality through the Vermelho Hotel, a small 13-room five-star hotel tucked away about an hour-and-a-half south of Lisbon, and more recently, design, through a collection of chairs in collaboration with his old friend Pierre Yovanovitch.

Christian Louboutin meets Pierre Yovanovitch

The two Frenchmen share an haute-couture sensibility; Yovanovitch worked in fashion for Pierre Cardin before branching out into interior design in 2001 and his own furniture line in 2021. He’s also partnered with Louboutin for various interior design projects. Now the pair welcomes the art world in town for Frieze New York, and the fashion world, which was gearing up for the Met Gala. Louboutin and Yovanovitch looked at their muses from mythology, history and film as the capsule collection’s starting point. 'My work is about celebrating women since day one, to give them tools of empowerment,' Louboutin told Wallpaper*. 

Louboutin looked at Yovanovitch’s renowned Clam chair, a minimal upholstered chair in oiled natural solid or oil dark oxidized oak as the basis for the designs. The pair called on expert artisans like Maisons Vermont, Lesage Interieurs and Atelier Montex embroidery; Atelier Jouffre and Hugo Delavelle for their furniture artisanry; MM7 (Minuit Moins 7) for the upholstery; art foundry Solyfonte; goldsmith Alm Deco, and for the leatherwork, Audrey Ludwig and Christophe Martin to paint the fabric.

Together they crafted the chairs — which are on view at Yovanovitch’s Chelsea gallery in New York until 24 May 2024 — merging Louboutin’s and Yovanovitch’s creative direction. The result is an elegant collection of 13 chairs: nine limited editions are inspired by women, while another set of five are open editioned, an extension of Louboutin’s iconic Simply Nude collection, which saw his famed red-bottomed heels created in a wide range of skin tones. 

'The figures that inspire me are all very strong characters,' said Louboutin. 'Women with distinct personalities reflected in their actions, stance, or attire, who left their mark on their era. While they are all different, the women are complimentary at the same time. Nefertari, the wife of Pharaoh Ramses II, exerted significant influence over him, so much so that she was one of the few queens to be deified. Josefina’s joy and open-mindedness illuminated the 20th century with her presence. Zenobia attracted many artists and philosophers to the Palmyrene Empire of Syria, turning it into a rich cultural hub.'

One chair is named the Dita, after Louboutin’s friend Dita von Teese, emulating the curves of one of her burlesque costumes in black laser-engraved and embroidered upholstery with feet shaped like intricate silver platform heels. The Josefina, made in dark mahogany-stained oak and a laser-engraved and embroidered seat adorned with leather fringe legs and beaded feet, is an homage to Josephine Baker. The Nefertari’s embroidered and laser engraved pattern evokes papyrus and lotus flowers, made in patinated oak with bronze heels at the feet. The five Simply Nude chairs are monochromatic, each in a different skin tone, ranging from a light ivory to a chocolate brown. Each chair foot is shaped like a Louboutin shoe, some painted with the signature red sole. 

'This idea had to stay the same switching from designing shoes to chairs,' explained Louboutin to Wallpaper*. 'I said to Pierre, I would like to not only work on just the shoe but also the chair legs. For me, it’s not only about the shoe on the foot, but how the shoes will look on the leg as an extension.'

“This collection is as much of an homage to French savoir-faire as it is to feminine beauty,' added Pierre Yovanovitch in a statement. 'As a close friend and respected visionary, it was a dream to be able to collaborate with Christian on this project. Drawing from our shared affinity for haute-couture artisanry, we enlisted a roster of classically trained artists to meticulously bring these diverse female characters to life. The result is an imaginative ode to women as told through French craftsmanship.' Each chair is a celebration of design, women, and craftsmanship, highlighting their beauty and feminine mystique. 

The chairs are on view at Pierre Yovanovitch’s Chelsea gallery until 24 May 2024

pierreyovanovitch.com.