Monaco is having a fashion moment — the site of Chanel’s cruise show in May, and now a major Christian Louboutin exhibition debuting at the Grimaldi Forum on July 9, and running until Aug. 28.
It’s billed as “Chapter II” of the footwear guru’s 2020 exhibition at the Palais de la Porte Dorée in Paris, which endured multiple closures amid waves of pandemic-related lockdowns.
Titled “Christian Louboutin, L’Exhibition[niste],” the display exalts an eventful 30-year career and delves into the designer’s process and inspirations, including many from the Principality of Monaco.
It will include the “Musée Imaginaire” from the Paris debut, an area dedicated to artworks and objects from Louboutin’s personal collection, alongside works loaned from major institutions, including from Monegasque museums.
“It will explore various themes in the designer’s work such as his love of dance and the legacy of the Ballets Russes, his passion for African art and Asia, the pop influence of Warhol, the photographic genius of Helmut Newton, and his fascination with oceanography,” according to a press release announcing the project. “While the shoes will take pride of place, with a selection of unique pieces, the designer especially wanted to pay tribute to those who inspire him and make him dream.”
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The exhibition will sprawl over a larger area, spanning some 2,000 square meters, and reflect tweaks by the curator Olivier Gabet, director of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. New features include a space dedicated to British sculptor and painter Allen Jones.
Louboutin collaborated with a host of artisans for the original exhibition, commissioning stained-glass windows from the Maison du Vitrail, a silver Sevillian palanquin and a cabaret sculpted in Bhutan.
“Visitors will also discover the designer’s various projects with artists such as the photography of director David Lynch, the video work of Lisa Reihana, the leather sculptures of English designers Whitaker Malem, the choreography of Blanca Li and the work of artist Imran Qureshi,” the release noted.
Sponsors of the display include Monaco’s government, CMB Monaco, Mytheresa and Sotheby’s.
This story was reported by WWD and originally appeared on WWD.com.
