Christian Louboutin has designed a pair of eight-inch stilettos for a silent charity auction to help raise funds for the English National Ballet.
You can’t turn the page of a magazine without seeing the likes of Victoria Beckham or Coleen Rooney teetering around in a pair of sky-high Christian Louboutins. But now the 47-year-old, French shoe designer has taken height to the next level producing a pair of eight-inch, red-soled stilettos. Based on the ballet shoe, the towering silk and Swarovski-encrusted heels are being auctioned off along with a number of other fashion wares to raise funds for the English National Ballet (ENB). These are one of a number of unique lot items which have been specifically created by some of the leading names in fashion. Designers including Erdem, Giles Deacon, Moschino, Roksanda Ilincic and Julien Macdonald have donated ballet-inspired pieces, modelled by professional dancers. The current sale – which is hoped to raise over £50,000 for the ENB – comes following the Arts Council’s decision to cut its grant by around £2 million. Louboutin said: ‘I could not help being inspired by English National Ballet… after all… isn’t the classical dancing ballet slipper the ultimate heel?’ ‘The heel which makes dancers closer than any other women to the sky, closer to heaven!’ Without raising necessary funds the world famous ballet company will be forced to cutback performances and touring. Roksanda Ilincic added: ‘It was a challenge to develop an individual slant on a piece that’s so famous for looking a certain way but a challenge is always inspiring’. Founded in 1950 by Dame Alicia Markova and Sir Anton Dolin, the English National Ballet employs 65 dancers and a symphony orchestra.