Christian Louboutin, eponymously known for his signature red-soled shoes and a recent foray into beauty, is now getting into clothing by way of the Olympics.
The footwear designer has teamed up with French retailer Henri Tai to create outfits for 120 members of the Cuban national team to wear at the Closing Ceremony during the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro next month.
Louboutin and Tai, who is a former pro athlete himself, consulted current and former Cuban Olympic athletes to get an accurate idea of what appeals to the players when proudly repping their country.
“At the Olympics, it feels like these athletes put on performance gear and simultaneously turn into these superheroes that defy gravity, that defy time, that defy all rules of physics,” said Louboutin in a statement. “We designed the celebratory outfit for the moment they turn back into humans, still in that glory moment, still in their light but heading back to the real world. We really want them to continue feeling amazing in their skin while looking astonishing.”
According to Forbes, the apparel includes “tailored jackets in red for men and beige for women, with the Cuban flag emblazoned on the breast pocket and the five-pointed star on the back; and interchangeable black trousers, shorts and skirts,” while the shoes choices are either a calf leather high-top trainers or Naza Star loafer style for men, and kitten-heel sandals for women.
In the following video, Louboutin and Tai reveal how the collaboration began and how Cuba’s rich heritage inspired the uniforms.
