Most of us have never been to an American football game, yet it is something strangely vivid in our collective imagination, probably thanks to all the American movies we grew up watching. For its spring/summer collection, Louboutin teamed up with David LaChapelle and choreographer Blanca Li, transforming the Dojo Arena in Paris into a scene straight out of High School Musical, where the only things missing were probably Troy Bolton, Gabriela Montez and Sharpay Evans. Everything that you’d expect from a football game was there: cheerleaders? Check. Football players? Check. Marching bands and a mascot? Double-check.
The show opened with a lawnmower dressed really chic, in très Parisian style, cutting the grass of the camp on heels. Because why not? Who doesn’t mow the lawn in stilettos? Then after the grass was properly trimmed, the marching band entered, followed by the cheerleaders. culminating in a football match, a halftime show by French singer Asphalt and the grand finale, a giant cake. A cam and big screen capturing the reactions of the guests, looking for Ester Exposito, their new creative director Jaden Smith, or simply encouraging them to take part in an emoji challenge
Christian Louboutin has long been a devoted admirer of dance, and today the balletcore obsession shows no sign of slowing down. The Cassia, inspired by ballet pointe shoes, was the centre of attention, reimagined in new styles such as the Cassia Annmac, which recalls the softness of long leg warmers, and the Cassiasticina, a modern take on the classic ballet slipper. The Ruben, the first Cassia design for men, extended this graceful aesthetic into the masculine wardrobe. Meanwhile, the Ballerina Ultima, the artistic piece originally created in 2007 in collaboration with filmmaker David Lynch, made a comeback as candles on top of a giant cake with their signature red soles glowing like flames.
We all still remember the water performance of last year, and this year the Loubi show delivered again. It was fun, theatrical and delightfully over the top, something that for a few moments made us disconnect from the fashion week chaos and transported us straight into an American dream, almost fulfilling our high-school homecoming fantasies. It could almost be read as a dialogue between French sophistication and the youthful American energy, subtly anticipating what we might expect from Jaden Smith in the months to come. In a landscape often obsessed with quiet luxury, this unapologetic burst of creativity felt refreshing, a reminder that sometimes, it’s okay for fashion to simply be fun.
