Christian Louboutin Redefines The Color 'Nude' In His Latest Shoe Collection
The famous French cobbler, best known for his red-soled stilettos, outfitted five shoe styles in the new colors, called "Les Nudes," for his fall collection, The Washington Post reported.
Nude shoes are meant to blend into the wearer "as a fluid extension of her legs," the designer explained in a news release.
But for ages in the fashion industry, the color nude has been synonymous with beige or pale peach, even going so far as to be called "flesh-toned," as long as that flesh was white.
Louboutin's decision to add a spectrum of nudes to his famous red-soled shoes comes on the heels of a dustup at last month's New York Fashion Week, when Naomi Campbell and others released the names of designers whose runways lacked diverse models.
While tan and chestnut heels have been on the market for a while from Jimmy Choo and Steve Madden, many women sought them out only as "close enough" to the skin-matching shoe trend. Not only does Louboutin's new line have five distinct shades, it also launched a "Louboutin Shades" app to help women decide which color best matches her skin tone.
"I think a lot of brands think if they cater to a woman of color, they'll lose their core market," African American fashion blogger Claire Sulmers told The Washington Post. "Some people are calling it a marketing ploy, but it's a very smart one."