Louboutins Won't Go Down Market

Filed Under: Fashion Smashion Karl Lagerfeld Stella McCartney Business Blitz Jimmy Choo H&M Collection's Bureau Rodarte Target Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! Alexander McQueen Isaac Mizrahi Christian Louboutin

Ever since Isaac Mizrahi teamed up with Target seven years back, designer budget lines have grown more and more popular. Back then, it was a bold move and proved a wise one as well; as the designer recently said, "I had a very successful line at Target."

Other designers wanted in on that success: since then Target has hosted an impressive list of designers, most recently working with greats like Anna Sui, Alexander McQueen, and Rodarte, whose collection hits stores in just a few weeks. Not to mention Jean Paul Gaultier, who only recently announced plans to collaborate with the discount retailer.

Designers weren't the only ones who wanted a piece of the pie, Kohl's, H&M, and Macy's are just a few of the lower-priced retailers that jumped on the bandwagon. H&M has been markedly successful in pulling in high-end and well known fashion forward designers, starting with Karl Lagerfeld back in 2004. Since then, the budget-clothier has worked with the likes of Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Roberto Cavalli, Comme des Garcons, Matthew Williamson, and most recently, Jimmy Choo.

Despite the profound success of these lines (which normally sell out in days, sometimes hours) Christian Louboutin wants nothing to do with them.

At a Bergdorf Goodman shoe signing earlier today in NYC, the luxury shoe designer remarked that H&M "proposed to me to do the diffusion line and I declined. Not that I don't think it's an interesting idea, but it's a lot of work really, so it's just difficult for me to do it." When asked if he would ever consider doing one in the future, a simple "No," was the answer.

Of course, it's not like Louboutin needs the money. His cheapest shoes start at about $565 and they still fly off the shelves, even in this economy. His name has become synonymous with high-end quality footwear.

[Image via AP Images.]

Posted: October 23, 2009 at 2:52 pm