The Red Bottom: you have admired them on the Met gala iconic steps, where they manage to ironically stand out, glanced at them at an art opening in a trendy restaurant or departing a 5 stars hotel. When does a brand reach Pop culture status, when does a fashion item equals a collectible piece of art ?

Standing out as one of the best fashion shows of 2024 is no easy task, yet Christian Louboutin Maison managed to do so showcasing a collection no taller than 18 inches. Established in the early 1990s, French footwear label Christian Louboutin possesses the established renown and name recognition typically reserved for century-old fashion houses, the designer’s red-soled shoes synonymous with luxury and sophistication.

For this year’s edition of Fashion week, launching his new collection  The designer’s approach was nothing short than a Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland show, challenging the sense of scale and picking a disruptive venue yet iconic, Piscine Molitor, a landmarked swimming pool in the heart of Paris. Water and stiletto you wonder ? “Bright colors and water” were the two design pillars of Louboutin and one name came to  his mind famed photographer and artist David LaChapelle who took on the creative direction for this memorable show. 

Betak agency was retained for the overall production, and as the visual story developed and need for splashing and colorful content arised they reached out to Superbien.studio. The mission and task to be delivered within 10 days were simple:  Creating content to be projected on the back wall of Molitor framing and enhancing the dancers soon to reveal themselves as the french olympic synchronized swimming team. 

A creative meeting between David Lachapelle and lead visual creative for Superbien JP Sastre occurred at our Paris office and after a productive working session, the work started. The challenges were numerous from the very short deadline to a difficult projection canvas, halted by the iconic archways. The creative team had to take into account the significant light pollution from the pool illumination, the inevitable casted shadows, and the overall dynamic of the show echoing at times the likes of a broadway musical. 

The result was a colorful visual ballet, which focused on enhancing the physical acts from the synchronized swimmer wearing the Miss Z Pump, performance choreographed by the inimitable Bianca Li  to a showcase by artist LP.