Jaden Smith’s debut as Christian Louboutin’s Men’s Creative Director marks a transformative moment, blending luxury with African cultural celebration.
Red-bottoms, gloss, and glamour; for decades, the Louboutin heels have been considered the IT-girl shoes. Higher than the stock market in the 1950s, Christian Louboutin has become a symbol of taste, high fashion, and style. These are symbols that were often considered the antithesis of the African continent.
High fashion has symbolised a particular kind of luxury — Eurocentric, glossy, aspirational in a way that often positioned Africa as an observer rather than a participant. Even when Africa is cited as an inspiration, there’s a distance from African consumers and creatives.
Today, platforms like social media and streaming sites have contested the idea that Africa is a backward place that can’t comprehend art, fashion, and culture. With Lagos Fashion Week being one of the most discussed fashion events of 2025, and Lagos designers making clothes for the Met Gala and the Golden Globes Eve. Nevertheless, luxury brands have still shown a reluctance to embrace Nigerian entertainers.
Luxury fashion has historically been comfortable extracting influence from Africa while hesitating to extend equal cultural legitimacy to African creatives and entertainers. At Paris Fashion Week, Nigerian stars frequently appear — yet receive minimal media attention compared to their Western and Eastern counterparts. This structure was discarded in the Christian Louboutin F/W26 collection.
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Who, why, and what happened at the Christian Louboutin show
Jaden Smith’s debut as the house’s first-ever Men’s Creative Director — following his appointment in September 2025 — not only attempts to broaden the brand through design. The collection itself remained global in its language: utility-driven, restrained, and rooted in contemporary menswear rather than regional reference.
What was distinctly different, however, was the social choreography of the show. African stars such as Shallipopi, Phyno, and Flowerovlove (Côte d’Ivoire) were not treated as background spectacle. They were visible, celebrated, and actively engaged by the creative director himself. In a moment that quickly circulated online, Smith’s unfiltered excitement upon spotting Shallipopi — screaming his name mid-event — felt less like the typical celebrity theatre. It was a genuine recognition, and now, we wait, anticipating what is next in this Shallipopi and Jaden Smith alliance. Fingers crossed, an ad campaign or a music feature?
The Christian Louboutin show: A celebration of culture
This isn’t the Christian Louboutin show’s first attempt at incorporating stylish African stars in its guest list. In 2024, Ayra Starr stole the spotlight at the SS25 show with her “Madame Starr” persona. Since then, she has become an undeniable part of the brand’s resurgence into pop culture, as she is occasionally spotted in them. Although she was absent from the audience at the F/W 26 show, a few pieces stood out as ones she would likely gravitate towards.
A new chapter for Christian Louboutin
The collection — aptly titled “The Working Man” — challenged the house’s red-sole legacy by dragging it through a surrealist, industrial lens. Smith dismantled the very idea of the “gentleman’s closet,” replacing polish with a gritty, avant-garde utility that was deeply rooted in his signature “African American Dadaist” philosophy. Dadaism is an early 20th-century art movement that embraced the irrational, the nonsensical, and the anti-bourgeois to protest established cultural values.
The presentation was a visceral experience, dominated by a raw, concrete atmosphere and a monumental, exploded red head sculpture, signalling a definitive end to the era of safe.
There was a clear shift toward a new masculine language — fluid, conceptual, and culturally aware. Specifically suited for a generation that prides itself on the fluidity in fashion. Long gone are the days of shunning women in suits. The collection expanded what glamour can be– a state of being that exists in all works of life.
An astronaut can be glamorous in space, so can you be at the beach, so can an African, and now, there are Louboutins for that.
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Utility as a design language
At the core of the collection is a sharp focus on modular dressing. Cargo-style silhouettes, harnessed vests, and oversized duffel bags blur the line between function and fantasy. In a head-to-toe white look, sculptural accessories take centre stage, reinforcing the idea that modern luxury is as much about practicality as it is about presence.
Harnesses, straps, and oversized carryalls suggest a story of movement and self-preservation. Even in darker, more utilitarian looks, there is a subtle tension between strength and vulnerability.
Footwear that grounds the unisex narrative
Footwear remains the emotional anchor of the collection. Chunky, exaggerated boots — equal parts armour and statement — bring a sense of weight and drama that feels unmistakably Louboutin. They are bold without tipping into excess, remaining in the house’s legacy while allowing space for experimentation.
The power of red
In one of the most striking looks, a saturated red ensemble dominates the frame. Here, colour becomes a language of its own. The boots and bag move in perfect synchrony, transforming Louboutin’s signature red from a branding cue into a tactile, almost obsessive design choice — playful, confident, and deliberate. It was no surprise that Shallipopi opted for a chunky trainer with red soles for the show.
Looking ahead
What sets this debut apart is its restraint. Smith resists the urge to over-explain or over-style. The collection feels aware of commercial realities yet remains conceptually intact — a balance many first-time creative directors struggle to achieve.
Rather than attempting to redefine Christian Louboutin in a single season, Smith’s debut gently widens the lens, and that includes the African stars.
