Mention ‘red bottom heels’ to anyone and the moniker for a pair of exquisite Christian Louboutin shoes would be largely understood. Named after the brand's signature soles, the French luxury house has a tenacious presence in pop culture; spotted on countless celebrities on red carpets and enshrined in hit singles by Ariana Grande, Cardi B and Iggy Azalea.
Unknown to most, however, status symbol came to designer Christian Louboutin unexpectedly. In 1992, Louboutin was contemplating a prototype of a stiletto from one of his sketches. While his assistant polished her nails, Louboutin thought on his feet and grabbed a bottle of nail varnish to paint the underside a luscious red. The result? A recognisable stiletto livened up with shine.
