Design icon Christian Louboutin plants his feet firmly on the Austrian market, and opens his first flagship store in the Austrian capital. An exclusive conversation about the element of surprise, fantasy and the art of seduction through the power of design.

Why do you think that flagship stores are particularly relevant during a time in which online shopping is so prevalent?

First of all, the decision to open a new store has a lot to do with the location. I have been to Vienna many times and I am a great fan of the city. Usually, I also visit the summer festival in Salzburg. This year was an exception, due to the current situation. I don&rsquo;t merely visit for business purposes &ndash; but to be honest, it gives me a good excuse to visit the city. At the same time, an online presence is definitely important, but it cannot compete with the quality and experience that customers have when visiting a store. To use me as an example here: things I choose online are usually things I already know I want. On the other hand, when going to a store, I expect to be surprised... Even if you have an idea of what you are looking for, you are often pleasantly surprised by what may be proposed to you on location. It is a different experience!&nbsp;

The store&rsquo;s design is a tribute to your eclectic style - how exactly would you define your own aesthetics?

The first word that comes to mind is indeed eclectic, but it is also very important to me to have a connection to craftsmanship &ndash; craftsmanship, and color, to be precise. There are only two things I do not enjoy that much: black and the absence of color, and when something is too bare and has no details. I can, of course, understand some contradicting artistic movements, such as brutalism in the 1960s in Italy &ndash; but it is really not my thing. I prefer architecture, interior design, and fashion that are rich in detail. Vienna is also a great source when it comes to aesthetics.

“Fetish has to do with imagination ! ... It is an escape from reality and rather important for all kinds of art.” Christian Louboutin

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It is said, that the first pair of shoes that you designed was inspired by Lady Di &ndash; more specifically a picture of her in front of the Taj Mahal. What inspires you these days?

When designing the so-called &ldquo;love&rdquo; shoes, I indeed had Lady Di in mind, but not her personal style. I just had this very specific image in my head, where she was sitting in front of the Taj Mahal, alone on a chair and was looking quite sadly at her feet. My inspiration came from a cartoon: I had the idea that like in a comic strip, some messages could pop up to make her smile. Therefore, I came up with a design that has one simple message: Love! In general, my inspiration can come from 
a special moment, an attitude, a person &ndash; not from style or fashion, really. The details are what really matter to me &ndash; whether they come from architecture, an animal, or a shadow... Details translate big things into very small forms.

Actually, you are used to working on a rather small surface ...

Yes, but miniature paintings also have a lot of details. You do not need a huge canvas in order to express your- self. A very, very small thing can be just as touching as a large one. Sometimes, the opposite can be the case, and a bigger piece of art will not necessarily bestow you with the same intimate feeling like a small one.

While this, very first design, was more on the humorous side, you are also renowned for your undeniably sexy style. What makes the world of fetish particularly interesting to you?

Fetish has to do with imagination! But honestly speaking, I would not consider myself a fetishist &ndash; only when it comes to the imagination... It is an escape from reality and important for all types of art.

Your designs attract women from all types of backgrounds &ndash; regardless of culture or age. Do you believe that everyone has a naughty side to him or her?

When I first started drawing shoes, I had a certain type of woman in mind: mostly showgirls. I still believe there is a bit of a showgirl in every woman, just like there is a showman in every man. The idea that one can be very subdued and maybe even shy in real life does not hinder one from being very open within an intimate setting. I know a lot of actresses that are fairly shy, but once they are on stage they fully transform into completely different, powerful characters. I think that there are many facets of everyone&rsquo;s surface.

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Would you say that it requires courage to wear your designs?

Sometimes it does, absolutely! People often tell me how much they love a certain design, but that they would not be able to wear it. Nevertheless, sometimes the opportunity arises and they go for it. Almost like for a hidden pleasure.

You mentioned actresses briefly, of which there are quite a few among your celebrity clients... I read that, much like a doctor, you want to protect your clients&rsquo; privacy. So, let&rsquo;s talk about the following topic instead: shoes have a lot to do with a person&rsquo;s physique &ndash; are comfort and wearability something you take into account when designing?

Not necessarily when I am drawing my sketches, but when it comes to production, it is definitely something that is taken into consideration as my designs are best seen, when they are worn. They are not meant to be museum pieces. However, this is not something I have in mind when I begin designing them. I believe that if you only focus on qualities such as comfort, you will probably end up with a shoe that looks accordingly. I want people to look at my shoes and be delighted by them, like by a candy you absolutely want to eat. Design and excitement are the first things that should come to one&rsquo;s mind. Everything that is too ordinary goes against the imaginative process, which I put first. Any other element needed to make it wearable and comfortable is added later on in the process of manufacturing. However, I do not believe in the saying that one has to suffer to look beautiful &ndash; if you are suffering, you actually do not look that flattering.

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Is this also due to the fact that you used to work for Charles Jourdan, amongst others, and designed for the theatre and for showgirls?

A shoe is a very small and complex element. Whether a high heel is comfortable or not, is also very much dependent on the shape of your foot and whether you have a high arch. All these elements have to be taken into consideration and this makes my work quite difficult.

Could we say that your shoes are not only for walking but also for dancing?

Some of my designs are definitely made for dancing. Shoes have different roles to play: they are here to please, to flirt, for walking... There are infinite possibilities, so not all are made for the same purpose.

Many people are collecting your designs and utilizing them as decorative pieces of art &ndash; does this bother you?

Not at all, if you like something and purchase it, it is up to you how you use it. People ask me all the time about how to style my designs and my answer is always the same: &ldquo;However you feel like&rdquo;. It is not for me to decide what people should wear with my designs. I like to be surprised.

Speaking of art &ndash; would you consider yourself an artist?

I would rather call myself a luxurious artisan who is tending towards the arts. Sometimes these two become intertwined, as you can see from my current exhibition in Paris. Artisans can be artists and vice versa. This also depends a lot on the context in which the respective works are shown.

Your line has expanded beyond shoes &ndash; what will be the focus of the product range at the new store in Vienna?

It will be a mixture. Alongside women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s shoes, we also incorporate bags. Every piece will showcase an attention to detail when it comes to every element &ndash; including the smallest ones. That is by the way also the reason why I started my beauty line &ndash; I wanted to create objects of beauty. If you look at this industry in particular, most things are rather standardized and not very interesting from a design perspective. I wanted to create things that you would like to keep because they bestow you with so much joy and pleasure. Since both the fashion and beauty industries are producing such large volumes of things, it is more important than ever to create only lasting items that have sort of second life and are kept as objects.

With such a large selection &ndash; how is one supposed to choose?

No one is supposed to choose. You can take everything (laughs)!

Photos: Christian Louboutin, Sofya Svetlaya

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