Which designer introduced the red-soled shoe in 1992, making it a signature of his brand?

Christian Louboutin introduced the red-soled shoe in 1992, making it a signature of his brand.

Louboutin said the idea began when he saw a prototype shoe whose sole looked lifeless. He borrowed red nail polish from an employee and painted the sole, creating the vivid contrast that became his trademark. His Paris-based company later became internationally known for high-heeled footwear with lacquered red soles.

The red sole is often called “Louboutin red,” but the designer’s fame rests on the shoe design and branding rather than on a single model. The brand’s shoes have appeared on entertainers, royalty, and fashion magazine covers.

A common mix-up is confusing Louboutin with Roger Vivier, an earlier footwear designer associated with sculptural heels and influential shoe designs. Louboutin’s red sole emerged in the 1990s, decades after Vivier’s best-known work.