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Jaden Smith made headlines last September when Christian Louboutin named him its first Men’s Creative Director. The brand’s new direction under the rapper-turned-fashion-designer is evident in his debut Men’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection, unveiled in Paris on January 21.
The pieces were introduced through an exhibition, where each space added context, moving from fashion into visual art, music, and history. It served as an introduction to how the future of Christian Louboutin Men could head under Jaden’s direction, with respect for what came before.
During the display, the journey began in the Projection Room. Of course, in classic Louboutin fashion, the space was bathed in shades of red. Additionally, it drew on the earliest days of photography and cinema, referencing figures such as Niépce, Daguerre, and the Lumière brothers. Shoes were shown on screen alongside textured imagery and artworks, set against the shadowy outline of a medieval castle.
From there, the exhibition opened into the collection itself. The Trapman corner came first, reframing the familiar Louboutin silhouette through the lens of 1990s hip-hop, a period Jaden credits as foundational. As he put it, “Hip hop culture is at the centre of my design philosophy, while creating the formal attire for the men of the future.”
The Corteo, a Louboutin icon, was serving as a gateway into the maison’s recent history. First introduced in Fall/Winter 2019, the shoe has stood for a certain type of polished authority. Jaden leaned into that symbolism, describing it as representing “the businessman, the working man, people who wear a suit, who show up with intention, who build something through discipline and effort.”
Then came the loafers, presented in three forms: the traditional penny loafer, slingback, and sandal. The TCT I Display marked the collection’s most technical moment; standing for Tactical, it translated the logic of a waterproof jacket into footwear, bringing functionality to the foreground.
Beyond shoes, the exhibition widened its focus, reflecting on “image and history”, as the house describes. A 360-degree installation of vintage television screens stitched together moments from different eras, from landmark events to everyday scenes, tracing how images shape collective memory. Nearby, select styles were displayed on antique columns inspired by the allegory of the Virgin Weeping over a Broken Column, a nod to knowledge passed down through generations.
An Angel sculpture from Christian Louboutin’s own collection, featured in the first shoot with Jaden, stood as a symbol of their working relationship. A photo installation showed his designs captured using early photographic techniques, developed by hand under cloth with silver and chemical solutions. Some appeared as red-illuminated negatives, tying the process back to the house’s defining colour.
The final passage led through a red anamorphosis, distorting perspective before resolving into a monumental exploded red head that revealed the last chapter of the collection.
The debut was accompanied by an avant-première capsule of 35 pieces, launched on January 22. Rendered in red, black, and white, it comprises slip-on and lace-up shoes and boots, sneakers, bags, and accessories, revisiting signature silhouettes while introducing more experimental pieces.
The full Men’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection follows in June.
