We adore Christian Louboutin’s new spring/summer 2016 collection. The muse for the collection is a woman of the ‘50s, with a modernist style and an eye towards the future. A day dreamer with a taste for the exotic and a rich fantasy life, she like Christian Louboutin himself is endlessly inspired by her surroundings.
The colour palette for spring/summer is varied, mirroring the arc of this lively and fanciful season. It’s introduced with an airy mood, like a spring garden tended à la Louboutin, juxtaposing harmonious and earthy neutrals such as noisette brown with elegant pastels like ballerina pink. A sensual and voluptuous tone takes hold as the days get longer, and the height of the season is represented as an adventurous urban safari of saturated brights and neons like shocking, showcased in multiple exotic materials including a python crystal and glittart calf.
A sense of hyper nature pervades Louboutin’s world this season, with motifs from the botanical and animal worlds abstracted and exaggerated into a vibrant unreality through the use of luxurious design details, rich embellishments and technical innovation.
Escape to the Hawaiian tropics, a land blooming with exotic hibiscus flowers, via Hawaii Kawai. The capsule’s vibrant and colourful print, available on a textured black or white leather, is featured on a range of product, from styles like the classic Dorissima 120 and new Solasofia Flat, to fresh new handbags for the season, such as the three compartment Triloubi, available in two sizes. Hawaii Kawai takes Louboutin women to new heights, adorning the much loved Pigalle Follies, debuting this season in a graceful, mid heel 55, and Seava, a new low profile sneaker.
Complimenting Hawaii Kawai, Louboutin’s tropical inspiration is amplified with 3D floral, laser cut leather embellishments on a hypnotic python roccia electric base for Ha Way Beach Club and Ha Why Luna – both limited editions available exclusively at select Christian Louboutin boutiques around the world.
Strass and spikes are hallmarks of any Christian Louboutin collection. New strass applications for the season include Clair de Lune, which features multi-coloured crystals set in harmonious clusters inspired by the way moonlight dances over fields of flowers. Handset on a lush veau velours and a natural python roccia, Clair de Lune debuts on classics So Kate, Lady Peep and Dorissima and on the Pigalle Follies flat, Boat and Louis Woman sneakers.
Louboutin’s iconic spike continues its evolution through new applications and colourways, including a metalised spike demi lune, half black and half gold, and a natural, horn-inspired popcorn spike debuting for spring/summer 2016. Whether adorning the delicate straps of the Millaclou or emphasising the line and silhouette of curvy Dorispiky, spikes add edge to otherwise ladylike styles in the collection.
Exotic skins are treated fantastically for the season, and take their inspiration from natural phenomena, imparting a luxurious effect. Electrifying python raye laminato and python roccia electric vert express jolts of vivid colour in So Kate 120. A hand-painted gradient python rainbow again evokes the tropical, and is seen on a multitude of styles including Rantus Orlato, Rivierina, Trezotro as well as Sweet Charity and the Vanité clutch.
Highly evolved techniques also produce futuristic results with an innovative, glow in the dark skin, Python Light, a glow on the Lady Peep and Pigalle Follies in 100 and 120, while lucent fluorescent Python Crystal Shocking in Decollete 554 and Python Crystal Neon set the summer ablaze. These unique treatments are created through an intricate dye process and subsequent hand-shading designed to render a soft ombré effect. In contrast, exotic ostrich goes au naturel in noisette and black white, with like-minded crocodile in croco white and croco black. The skins are featured prominently on wide straps to show off their natural beauty on Sova Wedge and the strappy Amal.
Christian Louboutin’s commitment to artisanship and innovation takes centre stage yet again this season. Bold, graphic beadwork inspired by the traditional folk art of the Mexican Huichol community ignites the collection with vivid colour combinations and impeccable floral designs seen on Miss Taos, Tipika, Tipiho Flat and Tre Tipi Flat.
