29 Sep 2024
Christian Louboutin unveils a hypnotic artistic performance at Paris’s legendary Piscine Molitor. Co-created with artistic director David LaChapelle and choreographed by Blanca Li, the show celebrates dance in all its forms. In an audacious twist, the trio called on the French Olympic artistic swimming team to make history by performing in heels for the first time, a nod to the House Women’s SS2025 collection. Hosted in one of the key Art Deco monuments of Paris, designed by Lucien Pollet in 1929, the show also features dancers and a music performance by singer and songwriter LP.
Christian Louboutin has long been fascinated by dance and the aquatic world, and Paris is Louboutining merges these passions into a larger-than-life show. To bring his vision to life, he naturally gave carte blanche to David LaChapelle, known for his surrealistic use of colors and water, and Blanca Li, whose work blends the elegance of dance with the strength of athletic performance. The result is a spectacular show immersing guests in the atmosphere of 1950s Hollywood water ballets, reimagined through a modern and pop culture perspective.
“Something the three of us clearly have in common is our love for dance. Blanca made it her world, David some of his major art works, and me, I also started by designing shoes for dancers.” - Christian Louboutin
Three creative minds, one synergy: at Piscine Molitor, the trio's vision transforms the historic pool into a wonderland with an uplifting energy. The space is reimagined with vibrant projections, lights, and fountains. A monumental fac?ade features alcoves framing performers, while colorful projections dance on the walls and shimmer in the water, enveloping the audience in a kaleidoscope of motion. Surrounding the pool, symmetrical fountains rise majestically, with a grand central fountain serving as the focal point for the aquatic ballet, creating a breathtaking scene of beauty. In this dreamlike atmosphere, a giant pair of Christian Louboutin shoes is transformed into a slide, immersing the Olympic swimmers into the pool. A testament to LaChapelle’s love for playful scales and unexpected volumes.
“I wanted to bring back this feeling of Hollywood cinema from the 20th century but at the same time the result is very contemporary. What is beautiful is to inspire ourselves in the past to create something of today.” - David LaChapelle
For the first time in her career, Blanca Li invites swimmers into her art, transforming the space into both vertical and horizontal magical performances. The stage comes alive with 14 dancers and 15 swimmers standing on a pair of Miss Z in metallic colors matching the bathing suits imagined by Fifi Chachnil, as a nostalgic wink to Hollywood’s golden age.
Perfectly synchronized, the figures flow into one another, forming geometric patterns that emerge and dissolve around the central fountain. Each acrobatic move is executed with grace to captivate the audience. As the final movement concludes and the swimmers disappear under the surface, the iconic red soles emerge above the water. In their wake, the Miss Z pumps spring from the depths, playfully dancing around the fountain.
The music, a heady mix of pop, rock, indie and folk carried by the husky yet crystalline voice of the American singer LP, only adds to the dazzling atmosphere.
The sound of water splashing, the music, and spectacular performances create an unforgettable sensory experience, immortalized in a film directed by David LaChapelle, to be revealed on christianlouboutin.com.
