Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin and two of his close friends set up the designer’s namesake brand in 1991. Each of the three partners had a relatively equal share of ownership in the brand. Sex and The City, a popular TV series that aired from 1998 to 2004, helped launch the Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik brands but Louboutin was never mentioned in the series.  Instead, the designer became famous for his red soles. Louboutin claimed that he was the first creator of his brand-defining red soles but a court of law found otherwise.

The brand has been relatively secretive about its operations. It does not publish financial results unless legally required to do so and most recently was coerced into filing accounts.  Research now reveals a host of contradictions that counter the rosy image of the brand portrayed to the public.

Why did the brand invite an outside investor after 30 years of cherishing and proclaiming its independence? How and why does its operation and actions vary significantly from those of other top luxury brands?  Read on to discover the answers to these questions.