Synonymous with high fashion, high style and a certain Sex in the City shoe fetishist, Louboutin has long since made his mark on the fashion scene. An established wish list want, the designer’s red-hot, red-soled footwear is a fast favourite for pampered toes everywhere from the catwalk to the red carpet. 

First appearing in 1991, 2011 marks the prolific designer’s 20^th anniversary; an event that has not gone unnoticed. New York favourite, Barneys, created a series of window dressings in honour of the occasion. The iconic luxury retailers unveiled the decadent homage to Louboutin in their flagship store on Madison Avenue, attracting crowds of footwear fans and fashion –savvy art buffs alike.

A series of static and kinetic installations, the project was overseen by Barneys’ creative director, Dennis Freedman. Commenting on the elaborate designs, Freedman had this to say; “Christian has an extraordinary imagination. You see that in his work, but also when you’re with him. He’s a very rare person; it goes well beyond the design of his shoes. The idea of working with someone like that is very exciting. We wanted not just to display the shoes, but reinterpret the shoes—to create a sculpture. That intensified and magnified the design of the shoe. So everything begins with his shoe and creative vision and ends with making it ours. It’s been an incredibly exciting experience.”

The artistic displays included mechanical contraptions, classic black heels and a cute pair of aqua peep toes, as well as a stunning nod to the designer’s famed ‘spike shoe’. To assist the integration of Louboutin’s designs into window installation history (and in celebration of the brand’s 20^th anniversary) Christian has also released a coffee table book. The eponymously titled ‘Christian Louboutin’ details the ‘world behind Louboutin’: a must have for any budding shoe designer (or for anyone that enjoys a good pop-up, this book has plenty).

Check out the images below for a closer look at the windows.

Check out some of the different themes below:

The Clock  

In this window a series of red-soled heels spin in a mesmerising pattern around the fiery, quaffed locks of a mannequin’s head.

The Chase

With the use of an intricate network of magnets, wires and pulleys, a pair of men’s brogues chase a set of fabulously glittery Lauboutin heels around a glass disc.

The Office

A single spotlight illuminates a pair of aqua heels as doors swing open and shut, and filing cabinets rattle their draws in the dishevelled office.