Sacré bleu, welcome to Christian Louboutin’s latest boutique, where the artisans have left but the store is not yet finished! Located on Paris’s Rue Saint-Honoré and situated over three floors, the 260 square metre space embodies the Maison’s signature style and playful approach. StudioXAG worked with the team at Christian Louboutin to define the creative concept for the store, designed to occupy the space for 1-2 years. The concept speaks to the ephemeral nature of the space, offering elevated storytelling and rich materiality the Louboutin consumer would expect, but without the commitment of a permanent shopfit. Drawing inspiration from the rich heritage of the brand and the quick turnaround of the project, we imagined a store celebrating the beauty of a ‘work in progress’, the craftsmen and artisans working on the store have left in a hurry, giving the illusion that the store is in mid-execution! Their abandoned ladders and toolboxes have been hijacked to show the latest collection. Soaked in a rich vermillion, Louboutin’s signature red hue is present throughout the store, with arches and hand painted designs from the designer’s very first boutique in Paris’s Galerie Vero Dodat punctuating the space. Product plinths elaborately sculpted in lacquered Kraft paper are yet to be unwrapped, sculpturally tied with red rope. Meticulously handcrafted Abyssinian tigers, Siam elephants and Madagascan lemurs have been set loose in the store, some cheekily climbing the walls whilst others delicately balance footwear and accessories from the collection.