Jaden Smith dreams up a Dadaist debut at Christian Louboutin

Add designer to Jaden Smith’s considerable list of professions- along with actor, singer, and rapper- after the Californian creator dreamed up an impressive Dadaist display for his debut at Christian Louboutin.

 
Evoking a whole plethora of influences from Greek mythology and the Great Paris Exhibitions to Dadaism and the great movement for Civil Rights, in an elaborate set in a disused warehouse in Montparnasse. Mount Parnassus, you will recall, was the home to nine muses in arts and sciences.
 
Two fine works of footwear even had Greek names: The Plato Loafer, a 2017 model with Swisscheese like holes, which Smith updates with the new Neo CL signature on a steel silver coin. And the Asclepius Sling- named after the ancient god of medicine- with the same emblematic coin detail and metallic hardware on the backstrap.

“I brought my personal interest on Greek mythology in as I thought it would resonate with people, as humans at the end of the day are all very similar. I’m combining my perspective of being an African American designer, linked to my more Dadaist thinking into the heritage of a French maison,” explained courteous 27-year-old.

 
Close by stood a Nam June Paik worthy mound of TVs, with video showing images of Martin Luther King’s 1963 March on Washington, The Sphinx, and clips from Dadaist filmmaker Hans Richter.
 
“That art piece is about the overdose of information we experience. This revolution that we are in the midst of right now. And the fact that information is being thrown at us all the time. And the psychological effects of looking at 10 screens at the one time. While also drawing correlations between my ancestry and Christian’s ancestry, and the history of art,” said Smith, attired in a giant gangster jeans, an oversized parka and pearl encrusted beanie.
 
Another installation was a broken temple with fluted columns on which were perched Jaden’s new bags.  Notably a series of humungous backpacks and biker satchels, some with a dozen exterior zippered pockets with gold lettering reading- coins, pills, keys, tools, phone, documents, phones, and chargers. Alongside a surrealist tote finished like a bucket of overflowing paint and a Dadaist style back made in a black and white photo of an urban madding crowd.

 
The whole space was dubbed Christian Louboutin Men’s Exhibition, as a small group of models bathed, inevitably, in red light, circulated wearing the new footwear and bags. Large red fabric rolls made into benches allowed one to enjoy a large video montage, including Jaden as a Wagnerian hero posed in front of gothic castles. Which is where we spotted founder Christian Louboutin, in a video stirring a large vat of red paint, before symbolically handing over a paintbrush to Jaden.
 
“It’s about craftmanship, extreme luxury, and highest level of design. That’s what Christian Louboutin is all about,” said Smith, describing the brand’s DNA.
 
Eyebrows were raised when Christian appointed Jaden to the position of creative director, as Parisian designers with two decades long CVs gritted their teeth that an untrained talent got such a coveted position. However, judging by this display, Jaden Smith has the chops, talent, and grace to be very effective in this role.
 
One suspects the gods of style and time are probably rather pleased.