We can all recognise a pair of Louboutins from across the room owing to their iconic red lacquer soles, but the Hot Chick pumps have their own distinctive detail. This iconic stiletto features a pronounced arch, vertiginous 100mm heels, and a unique scalloped edge at the ankle. While evidently gorgeous, these shoes have been notorious for the acute discomfort of wearing them. Dubbed ‘heels from hell’, they give the wearer (and anyone who sees them) intense anxiety mixed with insufferable pain. Let's explore more about them:

The Hot Chick

These shoes are available in different colours including white, black, nude, and brighter colours like pink, violet, and yellow, crafted in a range of quality leathers, from calfskin to Nappa, as well as sultry suedes. There are a couple more design variants with heel sizes varying from the 70mm Hot Chick Sling to the 120mm Hot Chick Alta. With its bold, arched silhouette, a single sole, and a straight 6-inch pitch, these statement stilettos are often found in any fashionista’s wardrobe.

Comments and Criticism

While some women claim that the name Hot ‘Chick’ is anti-feminist, the designer himself thinks otherwise. These shoes were designed keeping in mind the demure elegance of femininity, coupled with a boldness that exhibits power. Louboutin believes that his shoes have the ability to "make a woman look sexy, beautiful, to make her legs look as long as [he] can."

Several users on X and YouTube have observed that these particular set of pumps are rather hard to walk around in. Some humorous comments on X include – “I tried this shoe on in-store. Stood up and gravity pushed me right back on that chair” by user @DasaniAquafina; “These are sitting shoes… for pictures only for real” by user @THEEsimphunter.

Case in point, Zendaya’s minor wardrobe malfunction at the Radio Disney Music Awards in 2015, when her legs started giving way during her red-carpet walk and she had to be supported by her crew. Her stylist Law Roach accounted in an interview with Footwear News, “Rumour has it that he [Louboutin] said he did not design the shoes to be worn outside – they were made for the bedroom because they are super-sexy.”

Indeed, the designer himself claims that the shoes are not meant to be worn, but rather to be taken off, suggesting their sexual appeal. Footwear, notwithstanding discomfort caused upon wearing, has the power to inspire confidence and respect. The pointy toes and curved opening at the ankles of the Hot Chick pumps lift its silhouette, exuding a timeless glamour, despite being hard to walk in. However, it is said that beauty is pain, and hence this gorgeous number seems indeed to be forged in the pits of hell.

About Louboutin

Parisian designer, Christian Louboutin, the mastermind behind these glossy leather pumps, was actually a rebellious preteen who got expelled from school thrice and ran away from home at the age of 12. After his stint in Egypt and India, he returned to Paris with his design portfolio filled with sketches of incredible heels, which he showed around at couture houses, resulting in his employment with Charles Jourdan, which kickstarted his career in fashion. After freelancing for Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Maud Frizon, he finally set up his own company in 1991.

Louboutin’s fascination with shoes started when he visited the Musée national des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie in 1976, where he saw a sign from Africa forbidding women wearing sharp stilettos from entering the building, since they might damage the delicate wooden flooring. This image remained with him and later on he used it to create bold and rebellious designs. "I wanted to defy that", Louboutin said. "I wanted to create something that broke rules and made women feel confident and empowered."

The iconic red lacquer soles came to be when the shoemaker, dissatisfied with the reproduction of his designs and deciding that something was missing, borrowed some red nail polish from one of his employees and used it to paint the soles of a pair of stilettos. This was an instant hit and was later patented and became his trademark.

Celebrities wearing the Hot Chick pumps:

Zendaya wore the yellow Hot Chick 100, paired with a black embellished top, with bright button accents, and matching flared pants, at the 2015 Radio Disney Music Awards.

Chali XCX in the black Hot Chick 100, paired with a sheer black dress and Karma El Khalil earrings, at the 2021 MTV VMAs.

Kristen Stewart in the black Hot Chick 100, paired with an all-black ensemble, photographed in New York City on March 13, 2024.

Selena Gomez in the red Hot Chick Slingback, paired with a custom Giorgio Armani Privé ruby-red silk gown, at the Golden Globes 2024.

Anne Hathaway in the white Hot Chick 100, paired with a white minidress and blazer set at The Drew Barrymore Show, December 2023.