Christian Louboutin’s Cinderella slipper makes fairytale come true

The stiletto designer, famous for his signature red soles, designed the shoes in celebration of Walt Disney Animation’s diamond reissue of their film, Cinderella, available on Blu-ray this October.

“Cinderella is not only an iconic character when it comes to beauty, grace and fairytale love, but also shoes,” the French designer said in a statement.


Louboutin redesigned the classic shoe with a modern twist. Instead of glass, the slippers are made of delicate lace to give them a look of transparency, and adorned with butterfly designs at the vamp and atop the Swarovski-crystal covered heel. And of course, lest we forget, Louboutin’s trademark red soles are ever present. “The dream is a major factor in my language of design. There are no limits in the world of fantasy and there is always a happily ever after.”

But the Disney film wasn’t the only inspiration for this re-imagined design, Louboutin also looked at the source, the fairy tale itself. “Her character and her story dictated the design to me, it was all there in the pages and the words of this tale,” said Louboutin.

Disney has stated that only 20 pairs of the glamorous slipper will be produced, to be given away to lucky recipients around the world. Details of the giveaway will be revealed later this summer.

But that’s not all for Louboutin and Disney, included with the diamond edition of the film is a brand new 10-minute short film titled “The Magic of the Glass Slipper: A Cinderella Story” starring Louboutin himself. ”The movie is about how that shoe got invented by the person who is known as the Red Sole Man. Which is me,” he said chuckling.

The Cinderella story was first published in 1697 and has been adapted several times over the years, the most famous being Disney’s 1950 adaption.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2012.