Are Louboutins outdated?

[foosy]

Ugh, ugh, ugh!
In a society where people make buying choices based on social responsibility, green manufacturing or environmental protection, I am not surprised that some will make a decision to not buy Louboutin based on what he said, because they believe it is not socially acceptable now.

BUT, we can't take offense because not everybody is acting according to the standards society decided to highlight today.
When people bought louboutins, they did it because they liked the way it made them look and they enjoyed the way it made them feel.
Fashion is a statement, but if you are going to make the statement that certain brands should be avoided because it conflicts with your morals, you are taking all the fun out of fashion. If you take offense, don't buy it but don't ruin it for everyone else.

 

[Sferics]

Ugh, ugh, ugh!
In a society where people make buying choices based on social responsibility, green manufacturing or environmental protection, I am not surprised that some will make a decision to not buy Louboutin based on what he said, because they believe it is not socially acceptable now.

BUT, we can't take offense because not everybody is acting according to the standards society decided to highlight today.
When people bought louboutins, they did it because they liked the way it made them look and they enjoyed the way it made them feel.
Fashion is a statement, but if you are going to make the statement that certain brands should be avoided because it conflicts with your morals, you are taking all the fun out of fashion. If you take offense, don't buy it but don't ruin it for everyone else.

How would one ruin it for everybody else?

 

[foosy]

How would one ruin it for everybody else?

By social shaming people that buy Louboutins knowing what he said.
It does not take a lot to ruin a brand. Just put a few trolls or activists on a forum as such and the impact will be immediate. See what it already did in this group.
Yes, some will not care, but others that are having a tougher time confronting their conscience, might just skip buying or wearing them in order not to be associated with these words. That is exactly what I consider ruining the fun.

 

[mama_nacho]

By social shaming people that buy Louboutins knowing what he said.
It does not take a lot to ruin a brand. Just put a few trolls or activists on a forum as such and the impact will be immediate. See what it already did in this group.
Yes, some will not care, but others that are having a tougher time confronting their conscience, might just skip buying or wearing them in order not to be associated with these words. That is exactly what I consider ruining the fun.

Nobody is shaming anyone. If someone who was on the fence about buying something decides not to due to new information about the product or brand, that’s called making an informed choice.

People can still buy brands that, for example, are known to use child labor or have otherwise bad labor practices. Or they can choose not to—that’s the freedom of choice.

Saying that sharing information about a brand (which may be negative) “ruins the fun” prevents open discussion and informed choices, and it gets into censorship territory.

 

[lalame]

By social shaming people that buy Louboutins knowing what he said.
It does not take a lot to ruin a brand. Just put a few trolls or activists on a forum as such and the impact will be immediate. See what it already did in this group.
Yes, some will not care, but others that are having a tougher time confronting their conscience, might just skip buying or wearing them in order not to be associated with these words. That is exactly what I consider ruining the fun.

I don't see OP trolling here. She just brought up a question and shared her own perspective. We can't live in a world where any questioning = trolling or any positivity = stanning. I agree it doesn't take a lot to ruin a brand but the OP just shared Mr. Louboutin's actual words lol if sharing what he actually said is strong enough to ruin his brand then the brand's problem is him, not customers who may be within earshot.

FWIW I find his words just plain stupid but I don't find them misogynistic - simply outdated and stupid. They could be said about a man or a woman (and would be equally stupid). Some brands I don't buy because the level of stupid is too much for me to look past, not sure this one is it but to each their own.

 

[foosy]

Nobody is shaming anyone. If someone who was on the fence about buying something decides not to due to new information about the product or brand, that’s called making an informed choice.

People can still buy brands that, for example, are known to use child labor or have otherwise bad labor practices. Or they can choose not to—that’s the freedom of choice.

Saying that sharing information about a brand (which may be negative) “ruins the fun” prevents open discussion and informed choices, and it gets into censorship territory.

Freedom of speech works both ways .
I did not say that people should ignore the messages, or worse censor them. I said that it ruins the fun.
And it does ruin the fun, because instead of enjoying fashion for what it is, we are now associating fashion with the beliefs of its creator. Worse, we are taking a message that he said pre-metoo times and are injecting it in current discussions and situations.

Nobody knows what he thinks now. Every person evolves with time as social norms change. That is what I expect people to do rather than staying constrained to their old beliefs.

I don't have any issue with anyone doing what they think is right for them.
But I do believe that social media plays a significant role in influencing people, and unfortunately messaging is often manipulated causing irreparable harm.

Social shaming does not have to be direct. Social shaming works also by influencing your conscience. You don't need to call out a person in order to shame them. You can call out their behavior or their beliefs. You can associate something they do with something that you consider unacceptable. This is social shaming. It's a passive aggressive form of social shaming - but it has a huge impact, much greater than directly social shaming an individual, because you have now castigated a whole group.

OP is allowed to think that Louboutin's behavior is unacceptable. OP is allowed to make informed choices and stop buying the brand if she so wishes. OP is also absolutely OK in posting her opinion anywhere she wishes, and she would not be in the wrong for doing so. But I stand by my opinion: it is ruining the fun.

 

[Frivole88]

i sold all my louboutins and never look back. they're so painful and uncomfortable to me.
imo, i think they are outdated now because people nowadays are more into comfort, casual styles.
but fashion comes and goes, just like bigger bags are currently out of style but they will be back again someday.

 

[880]

I think the conversation above is interesting and adds to whether I want to buy something. I like the way some classic louboutins look, but find the lasts of other brands fit a bit better (manolo, valentino, Chanel). I can see why some people don’t want to read about idiotic views of a designer, but there is always the ability to ignore the post. But even if I like a brand, I like knowing all the scuttlebutt. The only exception is, I get tired of posters asking if a microscopic defect on leather warrants a return. JMO

 

[papertiger]

“The core of my work is dedicated not to pleasing women, but to pleasing men. Men are like bulls - they cannot resist the red sole” (Source)

“What is sexual in a high heel is the arch of the foot," Christian Louboutin said in an interview last week, "because it is exactly the position of a woman's foot when she orgasms. So, putting your foot in a heel, you are putting yourself in a possibly orgasmic situation.” (Source)

“One moves more slowly in heels. Walking fast is neither sexy nor engaging. Nobody notices the people who race around. If you're walking in heels, you've got time. It's much more attractive.” (Source)

It's great that you've brought this up. There is a lot of debate recently about the art v the artist, the design v the designer and whether we can overlook the some aspects of the personality behind the brand and focus on the products.

I'm agreeing with many different view-points here.

12 years ago I was working for a fashion designer and was working behind the scenes at a show but was told "go home, find some heels and put on some make-up". I wasn't a model and none of the male employees were told the same.

I never liked what CL said (mostly for effect) so I didn't listen too closely, most of it is BS anyway. Can he prove that all women point their feet whilst having orgasm? Especially since his partners are usually male. Now he is bringing up his 2 daughters perhaps his views have changed? It doesn't stop me admiring a beautifully made shoe.

I also agree that basically (high) heels are supposed to be 'out' but they I'm sure they'll be back. Tennis shoes with everything are mainstream and clichéd now too.

Some women are just more themselves in a more glamorous style shoe. #MeToo was supposed to be speaking up about experiences were women were made to feel small, belittled, worthless and so on. If high heels makes them feel taller, more empowered and valuable then that's a good thing. It's about the (woman's own) choice.

 

[finsmith]

It depends on which ones, I think anything with studs definitely. Unpopular opinion but i think Cardi B ruined the image of Louboutins, they were once considered very classy and elegant and not so much anymore

 

[880]

12 years ago I was working for a fashion designer and was working behind the scenes at a show but was told "go home, find some heels and put on some make-up". I wasn't a model and none of the male employees were told the same.

ugh UGH I’m sorry you had to deal with that jack ass behavior! I think the person who said it might just shrug shoulders and say times were different which isn’t an excuse.

I also think sometimes the designers say such horrendous things to provoke extreme reactions

 

[papertiger]

ugh UGH I’m sorry you had to deal with that jack ass behavior! I think the person who said it might just shrug shoulders and say times were different which isn’t an excuse.

I also think sometimes the designers say such horrendous things to provoke extreme reactions

I hope times have changed., think it still goes on today in some places. And of course, I had been wearing makeup, just not bright red lipstick or something obvious and 'drag'. I've had some strange dress codes for work in my time, but at least they'd tell me before I got to work and not just make it up as they went along. If he'd been a shoe designer I'd have understood more, designers (male and female) should actually be looking to see how real women interpret and style their work.

I still question why dress rules should be different for men and women altogether though and for whatever business.

You're right too, it was a heels time. I remember at Gucci, all the female staff had to wear high heels at work every day and all day, then around 7 years ago they all swapped to horse-bit loafers. There were moans about that too from some staff that liked their heels.

Back to CL. Normally, fashion and shoe companies employ a house model. I saw a documentary on CL, and he pulled out one of his workers with sample sized feet from her position model the shoes. I was thinking at the time, I hope he pays her extra for doing both jobs. If anyone finds that doc please let me know.

 

[Graw]

I don’t think of me too when I wear CL. All of the CL I wear are comfy. I wear whatever I please it’s up to people to control their behavior, I’m not provoking them. We don’t hide our faces because a man may be enticed to sexually assault us for being beautiful.

 

[mssmelanie]

oh my gosh, i love these boots! can you tell me the style name??

Thanks! They are belle ankle boots!

 

[september1985]

Louboutin’s comments while attracted many to his beautiful shoes, also deterred others from buying a pair. the most common question I get by non-CL owner is “are they comfortable”? I wear other designer non-CL high heels and never get asked that when wearing those.

This thread is interesting because there is a genuine curiosity as to how Mr. Louboutin is perceived. Just like there has always been lots of curiosity about the tall heels with the red soles!

I really like the documentary God Save My Shoes, its worth watching as it relates to this thread.