Quote of the Day

Stylemaker: Christian Louboutin

SHOE DESIGNER Christian Louboutin is a scavenger. During his constant globe-trotting adventures, he collects, well, everything: Egyptian sofas, English farm chairs, feathers from the Amazon, African masks, Brazilian mid-century anything, Damascene tiles and so on. He squirrels these away in a warehouse in Paris, which he visits regularly, like going to see old friends. When it’s time to decorate yet another residence—he has five now, in Paris, Portugal, Egypt, Los Angeles and the French countryside—he rummages through his treasures, looking for just the right pieces.

Louboutin, who is 48, knew he wanted to design shoes since he was a boy growing up in the 12th arrondissement in Paris. He doodled them in his books, ogled them at the Folies Bergère (where he worked as an intern) and boldly responded to any nosy adult who asked what he wanted to be: “A shoe designer!” When he received a book of legendary shoe man Roger Vivier’s work, Louboutin was bowled over: “How amazing,” he thought to himself. “You really can make a living designing shoes!” Louboutin dropped out of school at 16, traveled to Egypt and India, hung out at the famed Paris nightclub Le Palace and put together a portfolio of designs, which he took to various couture houses, looking for a job. He landed an entry-level spot at Charles Jourdan, which produced shoes for Dior. In 1988, he met Vivier and helped put together a retrospective of his work at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Louboutin so loved working for Vivier that once it was over he felt he could never work for anyone else except himself. He launched his company rather haphazardly in 1992, when his friend, the antiques dealer Eric Philippe, mentioned that a neighboring shop in the Passage Véro-Dodat was available for rent. Louboutin took the space, then designed and produced shoes to fill it. Two months in, a fashion writer was in the shop and overheard Princess Caroline of Monaco gushing about the shoes. After an article appeared mentioning this, Louboutin was on the fashion map.

“The thing I always try to remember is that feet are attached to the leg, and that you must prolong the silhouette,” he explains. “The shoe elongates the leg and does it discreetly.

 

Because homemade beats the drive thru — hands down

Some new ideas from the Brooklyn lunch counter Saltie:

The Clean Slate

Spread naan or pita with hummus.  Top with cooked quinoa; yogurt mixed with scallions and dill; sauerkraut; sliced pickled or roasted beets; shredded carrots; mixed fresh herbs of your choice, and sesame seeds.

The Scuttlebutt

Spread mayo mixed with smoked paprika on sliced foccacia, ciabatta, or a baquette.  Top with sliced hard boiled eggs; pitted, oil cured olives; capers; fresh herbs of choice; sliced pickled beets; and sliced radish.  Drizzle with olive oil and finish with feta.

The Little Chef

Spread green olive tapenade on crusty Italian bread or focaccia.  Top with mortadello, thinly sliced pecorino Toscano, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.

5 Ways to be Charming

It’s easier than we think.  Remember the 5 A’s:

Acceptance – The greatest gift we can give to other people is to accept them just as they are.  Never criticize or find fault.  Totally accept everything about them, as if they were a miracle of nature.  That is the starting point of being charming.

Appreciation – Say “thank you” on every occasion, for any large or small reason.  Make it a habit to thank everyone in the world for everything they do.

Approval – People who continually express approval are welcome everywhere they go.  We all need approval like we need food and rest.

Admiration – Compliment a person on an article of clothing.  Compliment someone on a trait,.  Compliment for small things as well as large things.  Always be looking for something to compliment.

Attention – Pay full attention to other people.  It is the key to instant charm.