Zendaya's Louboutin Collection Can Soon Include "Miss Z" Pumps
The elegant yet comfortable heels made a splash at Paris Fashion Week—literally.
There haven't been any sightings of Zendaya and her signature Christian Louboutin "So Kate" pumps at Paris Fashion Week so far this season. But the legendary shoe designer's installation on Sept. 27 hinted that Z might have a new pair of red bottoms to wear on repeat when they're released in January 2025.
At the Piscine Molitor, an Art Deco pool in the heart of Paris, Christian Louboutin joined forces with artistic director David LaChapelle and choreographer Blanca Li to showcase the brand's forthcoming "new iconic style of the house," per a press release. That shoe's name? The "Miss Z."
The trio of creatives staged an ode to the water ballets of the 1950s in a showcase featuring 14 dancers, 15 swimmers, and several pairs of the new Miss Z shoe. Highly saturated shades of red and blue lit the stage, made up of several windows surrounding a larger-than-life Me Dolly shoe that doubled as a water slide into the historic pool. The French Olympic artistic swimming team eventually took their pumps underwater for a feat of aquatic performance, creating geometric shapes and illusions in the most fashionable example of synchronized swimming in style (and sporting) history. Crucially, everyone's new heels stayed put on their feet.
All that fancy footwork emphasized one of the Miss Z pump's hidden feats. The style, which is set to land in stores by next January in four heel heights and four colors, has heels that are designed to look taller than they really are. An ever-so-slight expansion in the front of the shoe also creates extra space and comes with a padded insole. The result: a shoe that's elegant enough for any red carpet, while leveling up on the comfort a sneakers-and-flats generation wants from their footwear.
Those features are sure to appeal to Zendaya and her stylist, Law Roach. The duo have been incorporating Louboutin's "So Kate" 120mm pumps—named for the legendary model Kate Moss—into her wardrobe since she was 14. She's continued to wear them in all colors of the rainbow for appearances ranging from official Challengers red carpets to unofficial stops by boyfriend Tom Holland's West End run in Romeo and Juliet this summer. The shoes, Roach said in an interview with Recho Omondi's Cutting Room Floor podcast, are both versatile and an important part of elevating Zendaya's image—literally. With each time Z wore the towering heels, "It kind of became our thing,” Roach said. “And now, her feet are just kinda like trained. She could wear them all day, she could dance in ’em, she could kick her legs up, she can run down stairs."
According to Louboutin's Paris Fashion Week presentation, the Miss Z style takes that sense of versatility even further. If she wanted to, she could even swim in them. Nevertheless, most fashion fans will be excited just to see her one day take the Miss Z for a red carpet walk.
Editor's note: This post has been updated to accurately reflect the shoe silhouette used as a water slide during the Christian Louboutin presentation.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes stories for both sections. Halie is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, emerging fashion and beauty brands, and shopping (naturally). In over seven years as a professional journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from fashion week coverage spanning the Copenhagen, New York, Milan, and Paris markets, to profiles on industry insiders including stylist Alison Bornstein and J.Crew womenswear creative director Olympia Gayot, to breaking news stories on noteworthy brand collaborations and beauty launches. (She can personally confirm that Bella Hadid’s Ôrebella perfume is worth the hype.) She has also written dozens of research-backed shopping guides to finding the best tote bags, ballet flats, and more. Most of all, Halie loves to explore what trends—like the rise of doll-like Mary Janes or TikTok’s 75 Hard Style Challenge—can say about culture writ large. (She justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”) Halie has previously held writer and editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. Halie has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters, among other outlets, and appears in newsletters like Selleb and Self-Checkout to provide shopping recommendations. In 2022, she was awarded the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. Outside of work, Halie is passionate about books, baking, and her miniature Bernedoodle, Dolly. For a behind-the-scenes look at her reporting, you can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.
-
'Gyeongseong Creature' Ended Its Latest Installment With a Harrowing Cliffhanger—Will There Be a Season 3?
If so, viewers can expect a lot more monsters.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
According to Hailey Bieber, Two Leopard Prints Are Better Than One
The Rhode Beauty founder doubled up for a night at church.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Selena Gomez Absolutely Aces Sabrina Carpenter's Tour Dress Code
The pop star danced her heart out from box seats in a sheer sequin mini.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Hailey Bieber Takes Her Leopard-on-Leopard Outfit to Church With Cherry Red Adidas Sneakers
The Rhode Beauty founder doubled up for a night at church.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Selena Gomez Aces Sabrina Carpenter's 'Short 'n Sweet' Tour Dress Code in a Sheer Sequin Skater Dress
The pop star danced her heart out from box seats in a sheer sequin mini.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Sabrina Carpenter's 'Short n' Sweet' Tour Lace Jumpsuit Is the Peak of Lingerie Dressing
Patou designed the nearly-naked piece for her tour.
By Halie LeSavage Last updated
-
Ayo Edebiri Serves Victorian Girl on Vacation in a Sheer Loewe Hoop Skirt Borrowed Directly from the Paris Runway
The Emmy winner pulled her dress two days after its runway debut.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
This Gucci Bag Starring in Fashion Week Street Style Isn't an Accident
No wonder this Gucci silhouette is all over fashion month.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Kylie Jenner Wears Her Own Face on a Beaded Strapless Balmain Gown at Paris Fashion Week
Her custom piece features her profile rendered in thousands of beads.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Gigi Hadid Wraps Herself in a DHL Tape Mini Dress for Vetements's Paris Fashion Week Runway
She's packed up like an order from The RealReal.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
The Windbreaker Trend's Spring 2025 Comeback Will Blow You Away
Designers want to blow you away.
By Halie LeSavage Last updated