Christian Louboutin traded last year’s aquatic drama for high-school high spirits this season. For the Women’s Spring/Summer 2026 show, the brand delivered a playful, pitch-perfect piece of fashion theatre, transforming Paris’s Dojo Arena into an electrified American homecoming football game. This latest chapter of the Loubi Show reunites the dream team of David LaChapelle and choreographer Blanca Li to ask: what if art and athleticism threw the greatest party of your teenage life?
Under LaChapelle’s artistic direction, the show unfolded as a vivid, five-act spectacle inspired by the collective passion of a small-town American homecoming. The atmosphere was pure celebration and triumph, complete with the Sapeur-Pompiers de Paris marching band, dynamic cheerleader routines, jumbotrons and dancers portraying passionate football players.
In true LaChapelle fashion, the stadium became a surrealist stage populated by wonderfully unexpected characters. The show opened with a witty cameo by an iconic Parisian model – claimed by LaChapelle to be “as French as the Eiffel Tower” – who made her entrance strolling onto the field with a lawnmower. Louboutin’s favourite mascot, the seahorse, made a delightfully camp appearance, accompanied by a baton twirler. Live music from French singer Asphalt (Milo Thoretton) anchored the soundtrack, channeling the dreamy, romantic boy archetype that mirrored the show’s playful yet poetic energy.
The audience included Jaden Smith, the brand’s newly appointed first-ever Men’s Creative Director, who watched as Louboutin unveiled his vision and cemented his new role guiding the menswear line.
The collection itself balanced ballet-inspired grace with the energy of athleticism. The renowned Cassia line returned in full, designed for seamless movement, with new names including the Cassia Annmac, inspired by the soft cocoon of leg warmers, and the Cassiasticina, echoing the delicate silhouette of a ballerina slipper. Men’s wear made its bold debut with the Ruben, the first Cassia creation for the menswear line.
The grand finale was a breathtaking celebration of Louboutin savoir-faire. Revisiting the iconic Ballerina Ultima, originally conceived in 2007, this reinterpretation embraced extreme verticality inspired by the en pointe position. The Cassia shoe front was reimagined and fully embellished with strass, presented atop a giant cake that served as both sculpture and stage for dancers. The effect was pure Louboutin: balletic poise colliding with athletic adrenaline, elegance intertwined with playful spectacle.
Discover the collection here.
photography. courtesy of Christian Louboutin
words. Gennaro Costanzo



































































