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Christian Louboutin winks at the Natural World in the best Monaco's style Summer.

Updated: Oct 3, 2022

>> Grimaldi Forum's Great Summer Exhibit, 2022 edition.

Photo >> Christian Louboutin Still Life © Jean-Vincent Simonet

Can the world of fashion and best creativity mix with the natural world? This combination seems to merge at Christian Louboutin, l’Exhibition(niste), Chapter II, one of the greatest solo exhibition devoted to the most popular shoe designer and contemporary representative of the artistic flair, held at the Grimaldi Forum from July the 9th until August the 28th, 2022. The kaleidoscopic personality of Louboutin is enhanced by a visit itinerary which makes visitors get into the most unexpected aspects of his eclectic style.

It turns out that Nature has always fascinated his unique collections of lady’s footwear, including the black décolleté with red sole, flagship of his ingenious inspiration. And Monaco is the ideal place for this meeting.


The Musée Océanographique, in my opinion, exemplifies the wonder-room concept, in which wonder and fascination are combined with an interest in natural objects. Shells, sponges, corals and plates from the 19th century ocean fauna and flora, as well as the extraordinary plates of Ernst Haeckel, German biologist, who illustrated, during his scientific expeditions, the impressive beauty of the biological world. These are some of the items I chose from the Museum”, highlighted Louboutin, commenting Monaco’s exhibition.






Photo >> The extraordinary lithographic plates, by Adolf Glitsch, depicting rare seashells in the footsteps of scientific studies by Ernst Haeckel © Grimaldi Forum


The Réverie, hypnotic digital fresco by Lisa Reihana, artist from New Zealand, highlights the immersive influences of the Italian style garden where the oxygenation of the air, the contemplation of natural beauty and the predominance of green colour are well known beneficial and relaxing elements for human well-being. The Imaginarium Museum makes this link clear as well through some key objects from the collection of the iconic Monaco’s Oceanographic Museum.

Photo >> The Radiolarian Chandelier by Constant Roux © Grimaldi Forum

The extraordinary lithographic plates, by Adolf Glitsch, depicting rare seashells in the footsteps of scientific studies by Ernst Haeckel, professor of zoology, who published a manual ‘Kunst-Formen der Natur’ are part of Prince Albert I of Monaco legacy, witnessing the science-based missions He attended to discover the unknown flora and fauna of oceans seabed. This great passion inherited by Christian Louboutin, while visiting the Oceanographic Museum, also goes through unique design objects inspired by the marine biodiversity.

Detail of the exquisite polychrome earthenware 'Lobster and Octopus' by Mathurin Méheut © Grimaldi Forum

The Radiolarian Chandelier by Constant Roux (1910, Musée Océanographique) is a clear example of this. It depicts a unicellular marine planktonic organism, the Haeckeliana Porcellana, based on a Ernst Haeckel’s plates. The exquisite polychrome earthenware, Lobster and Octopus, by Mathurin Méheut (1928, Musée Océanograpique) brings forth the ocean style. The British engraver, illustrator, sculptor and painter shows his extraordinary ability to reproduce marine creatures in details, creating exclusive home potteries, considered as a must at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts, held in Paris in 1925,


Where does Louboutin's Blue passion come from? MONACŒCOART® asked Olivier Gabet (O.G.), exhibition curator and director of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

Portrait of Olivier Gabet

MONACŒCOART®: Mr. Gabet, Is there really a connection between Christian Louboutin and the Natural dimension?


O.G.: The bond is very strong in Christian’s production. Réverie, the great immersive film by Lisa Reihana (who met at Venice Biennale in 2017), is a way to tell the biography of the artist through images of Nature, combined with objects which are symbols of his childhood and professional growth between France, Portugal and Egypt.

The theme of Nature is then often present in his creations since he is interested both in living beings and things without being necessarily motivated by the fact that these are already known. He has definitely many passions ... he used to act as a gardener and a landscape architect. So, he is inextricably linked to the concept of ‘garden’... he has recently purchased a property in the context of one of the most beautiful castles in Europe, with stunning natural surroundings. Thus, the link with Nature and the Environment is constantly present in Christian’s design. Vegetation, plants, flowers, animals, minerals are often inspiring elements for him.


MONACŒCOART®: What pushes his passion for living beings and oceanography?


O.G.: He is absolutely fascinated by the Beauty of Nature ... whether it is a creation of Nature or of a Human Being, Christian considers it equally interesting. ***


To Know more about Christian Louboutin, l’Exhibition(niste), Chapter II please visit: https://www.grimaldiforum.com/


By Maurice Abbati

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