Christian Louboutin has appointed Jaden Smith (son of actors Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith), musician, and Gen Z style icon, as its first-ever Men’s Creative Director, marking a bold new era for the Maison. According to reports, Smith will oversee the creation of four collections annually, spanning men’s shoes, leather goods, and accessories. His premiere capsule collection will drop in January 2026 at select Louboutin boutiques worldwide and online, and his first full collection reveal would be at the Men’s Fall/Winter 2026 Paris Fashion Week (Jan 20-25th 2026), and in stores by May 2026.
Mnnnn... as an FIT grad (Fashion Institute of Technology), I have mixed feelings about this. While this is a great opportunity for him, fashion school plus navigating the industry is blood, sweat, and tears. The
tuition, endless projects, unpaid internships, and years of grinding to build a
resume make opportunities like this feel hard-earned. So many incredibly
talented designers spend years hoping for a shot like this, only to watch these
roles go to celebrities or 'nepo kids' with no formal training. Some may argue that 'formal training' is not needed for e.g. Pharrell Williams at LV Men's even though this is not his first rodeo in fashion, he actually is the co-founder of Billionaire Boys club (BBC), a successful streetwear brand launched in 2003 and has extensive collaborations with different brands before this opportunity. Then there is Kanye and Adidas... There’s a big difference between being stylish and actually creating
and designing a collection from scratch. Celebrities without formal fashion
training can bring great ideas, sure, but I wish they were hired as consultants, brand ambassadors or even co-designing a capsule collection, rather than put in charge of entire creative teams. Annoying!
That said, Jaden might surprise us. I’m genuinely curious to see the Gen Z vibe he brings to the table and hope he is open to collaborating closely with the experts. Christian Louboutin himself seems confident in the decision, stating on his site: 'When I first met Jaden, I saw in him a natural fit for the Maison. His world is rich and multidimensional, his style and cultural sensibility are inspiring, and his curiosity and openness are remarkable. I felt that with his creative direction our men’s collection would evolve in an exciting and dynamic way. He feels like the perfect addition to our creative team and I am truly looking forward to having fun working with him on our men’s collections.'
This move clearly targets a younger, more progressive audience,
merging Louboutin’s luxury heritage with Jaden’s street-culture and Gen Z
influence. With men’s products already making up nearly a quarter of the
brand’s business, this is as strategic as it is cultural and could reshape
the future of luxury menswear. TBD...
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