“The show is a celebration,” said Christian Louboutin. “It’s not a retrospective about my work. It celebrates collaboration but not with other brands, rather it’s an exchange of ideas with all the people who have inspired me.”

He was speaking at an exclusive press conference to launch “L’Exhibition[iste],” the landmark celebration of his métier that will launched February 26 at Palais de la Porte Dorée museum in Paris.

The footwear legend chose the venue because he visited the museum throughout his formative years as a child, and there, he became entranced by its beautiful exhibits. “It’s often the things in my head which influence my creations,” he said, “and this place always made me dream since I was a child.”

The landmark exhibition, spanning 11 beautifully conceived spaces, provides fascinating insight into the world of the legendary red-soled brand. Ahead, the highlights of its most breathtaking and most original showpieces, available until July 26, 2020.

Surrounding a chamber of iconic designs, sketches and mood boards are eight specially commissioned stained glass windows. Created for the show by master glassmaker Emmanuelle Andrieux of the Maison du Vitrail in Paris, the windows dramatically illustrate the key elements of Louboutin’s work. For aficionados, shoes are a religion after all.

Visitors can walk their own red carpet flanked by Christian Louboutin’s celebrity fans, including Naomi Campbell, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and the late Kobe Bryant. All are captured in defining moments from popular culture, such as the Met Gala, underscoring the pivotal status of the Louboutin brand at its epicenter. Lest there be any doubt.