Christian Louboutin speaks on old Hollywood, Dita Von Teese and whether he would direct a feature
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Shoe maestro Christian Louboutin breezed into Los Angeles from Paris for an in-store appearance Wednesday at his Robertson Boulevard boutique. The following day, Louboutin, clad in a day-glo polo shirt and his signature denim high-top sneakers, chatted with All the Rage at the Chateau Marmont patio about L.A., classic Hollywood cinema and Dita Von Teese.
All the Rage: Favorite L.A. haunt?
Christian Louboutin: In general, I stay here [points to the Chateau Marmont’s veranda]. I guess being French, I love Hollywood.
I love Hollywood movies. Joseph Mankiewicz’s ‘All About Eve.’ ‘Mildred Pierce.’
I hear there is a new TV series based on ‘Mildred Pierce.’
[Louboutin grimaces.] I love David Lynch’s ‘Mulholland Drive,’ such a wonderful movie. I’ve been driving Mulholland Drive, definitely about Los Angeles.
Are you making another movie after ‘Psychologic’? [Louboutin’s short homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ was made last fall to announce the Robertson store opening.]
No, I commissioned a young director to do seven Web films made in Paris, London and the South of France. It’s about a caravan, a store on wheels.
Would you ever do a feature-length film? All the fashion designer are doing it these days.
I’ve been thinking about it, because I love movies. I realized doing this ‘Psychologic’ thing that it’s very long to do. It’s a full-time job.
Who would make up your ideal cast?
I would definitely say Marlene Dietrich. She’s a great actress and a wonderful figure and icon. Marilyn Monroe.
Are there any actresses that you would use today?
She’s not an actress but makes me think of old Hollywood: Dita Von Teese. Physically she has something that’s so incredible. Marilyn Monroe had this radiant skin and Dita has that. She has this star quality.
How did your L.A. fans greet you?
There was a lot of people. There’s always a young girl who wants to take a photograph and she asks her mother and her mother is not used to the camera or phone. The little girl is, like, ‘Mom,’ and the mother starts to freak out and then it starts to be a drama. This girl lost it in front of the mother and was insulting her in Spanish. I said, ‘OK, calm down. I will find you a camera.’
Me being very bad with technology, I’m always on the side of the mother, because I would be a disaster the same way.
Your favorite new Louboutin shoe?
The Trés Decollete [$695, pictured]. It’s a high heel but not very, very high. It has low cleavage. I love deep cleavage on the foot. It reminds me of Berlin in 1930s, ‘Cabaret.’
Fave vintage stores in L.A.?
Decades, Lily et Cie. In Los Feliz, Squaresville.
-- Max Padilla
More photos: Christian Louboutin autograph signings
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Top photo: The shoe designer at his store Wednesday before the signing for fans began. Credit: Colin Young-Wolff / For The Times. Bottom photo: Christian Louboutin Trés Decollete heel. Credit: Christian Louboutin.