All the proceeds from the collection will be donated to six organizations dedicated to supporting young people’s education and creative development around the world.
Within their marriage, Idris and Sabrina Elba have endeavoured on numerous creative collaborations pushing their conscious efforts towards philanthropy and social causes. Now, the couple has been tapped to collaborate on the third edition of a capsule collection entitled “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” with luxury french designer, Christian Louboutin. The charitable designer’s initial drive to collaborate with the couple sparked in 2020, following the tragic death of George Floyd, when Idris and Sabrina Elba were taking part in a live online discussion with Ayo Tometi, co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter. For Christian Louboutin, this was “the original seed of inspiration” to take action and collaborate with the couple who “were already keen to use their public platforms to raise awareness for social justice.”
Thus, the “natural next step” for Christian Louboutin was to “take it as a step further with a charity collaboration that celebrates this commitment” towards drawing attention towards issues of racial injustice. In 2021, the ‘Walk A Mile In My Shoes’ collection was created and co-designed with the Elbas and over the past two years, the project has already raised $2 million. For the eponymous label’s third collaboration co-designing with the Elbas, all sales profits for the collection will go towards six organisations that support social equality and foster young people’s creative development in the U.S., U.K., France, Ghana, Somalia and Sierra Leone.
These include; Immediate Theatre, an organisation which works with young people and communities in Hackney and East London to ensure access for all; Elman Peace, which promotes peace and empowers the marginalised brackets of society; The Raining Season, which supports vulnerable children in Sierra Leone; Casa93, a fashion training organisation for young creatives; Afrikids, which supports families in northern Ghana; and finally, Gathering for Justice, which is an organisation whose mission is to build a movement to end child incarceration while working to eliminate the racial inequities that permeate the justice system.
The collection features both mens and womenswear, and this season focuses on intricate prints and braided details, with additional personal touches interwoven throughout from the designers. “The starting point for the new collection is a dedicated print that neatly incorporates the WAMIMS acronym into its colourful pattern, as a physical embodiment of the message behind the initiative” Louboutin said.
The collection draws its inspiration from the vibrant codes and colours associated with African culture and braiding – used to celebrate and honour one’s ancestral roots.
“Braiding hair is a beautiful and identifiable form of self-expression for many people, but for the trio, using braided elements in the collection is also symbolic of the bond of their strong friendship,” Louboutin explained. “The three of us have such separate identities, but with Walk A Mile In My Shoes, our vision is stronger when connected, which is beautifully symbolised by the braid.”
The 2002SL Low men’s sneaker, first introduced in the collection’s second drop, has been reworked with the WAMIMS print – the name referencing the year Idris’s daughter was born and his Sierra Leonean heritage. In the women’s lineup, the Fatima 120 stiletto heel features braided straps, a curved design and is named after Sabrina’s sister, Fatima. Similarly, the Hibaq 55, a lower-heeled option with fine braided straps, draws inspiration from Sabrina’s youngest sister, continuing the theme of familial connections within the collection.
The “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” capsule waves a narrative in every stitch and braid. The collection is available now at select Christian Louboutin boutiques, online at christianlouboutin.com, and at select Saks locations as well as on Saks.com.
Images courtesy of Christian Louboutin.
