By Ashley Gross
Images Via Steve Madden and Christian Louboutin
There is one main distinction between Christian Louboutin ‘s Daffodile pump and Steven Madden’s DejaVu pump: the color of the sole. Who even used to look at the bottom of a shoe anyway?
Christian Louboutin’s sole is the most recognized in the world. The distinct red color of the bottom of the shoe automatically exhibits effortless luxury and style. Sex, it is said, is the inspiration for the Louboutin sole. The red color is believed to attract men.
Image via Christian Louboutin
In Louboutin’s first year of business, he sold only 200 pairs of shoes. Today he sells about 700,000 a year — after making the change from black soles to red.
Since such a simple changed fashioned a brand to become one of the most successful in the world, why wouldn’t more designers make this small change, too? In fact, Yves Saint Laurent challenged Louboutin in 2011 by changing their soles to Louboutin’s trademarked bright red, and ended up in a lawsuit.
Although many fashionistas want these shoes, only a fortunate few get to stride in the long heeled, red-bottomed shoes, thanks to their hefty price tag. Louboutin’s simplest shoe will set you back $500, the most extravagant, $2,500.