A Feast of Fantastical Footwear

This summer, Toronto’s Design Exchange showcases a retrospective exhibition of shoes from the sultan of stilettos: Christian Louboutin.

The Canadian design museum is the only venue in North America to secure the exhibition, which premiered earlier this year in London.

“It’s very theatrical, provocative, over-the-top and fun,” says Shauna Levy, president of the Design Exchange. “This is what a museum exhibit should be today – entertainment, magic and theatre.”

Not just for ogling Louboutin’s infamous red-soled beauties from his more than 20-year career, the exhibit is a multi-medium extravaganza that includes holograms, a life-sized carousel and a series of short films on which the shoe designer collaborated with filmmaker David Lynch.

The show features an insider view on Louboutin’s career, his design process, the engineering feats of those towering heels, his inspirations and the design journey from sketch pad to the feet of a starlet on a red carpet. There’s something for everyone whether you’re a shoe fanatic or interested in design in contemporary culture.