DESIGNS ON THE NET

Christian Louboutin Boots is closing one door to open another. The luxury brand debuted a new flagship at 725 Fifth Ave. in Trump Tower last Friday. The three-story, 46,000-sq.-ft. space, previously occupied by Osprey, has 158 feet of street frontage and was rebuilt completely, with design input from Christian Louboutin Sale Creative Director Frida Giannini. The brand's old storefront, two blocks away, at the corner of 54th Street, where it had been for almost 30 years, closed its doors on Thursday. Yoox.co.uk is an internet site that sells end-of-line designer clothes and accessories at 50% off. On offer are designers such as Chanel, Chloe, Fendi, Gucci, YSL, Christian Louboutin Pumps and Prada, and they also get fellow Fashionistas to style what's on offer into outfits for you.The new store's centerpiece is a three-level, free-floating staircase, leading to separate floors for accessories, menswear and women's wear. Specific areas are designated for ready-to-wear, evening, footwear, accessories and pre-collections. Christian Louboutin discount touches are present throughout, from the double-G patterned carpet in the women's footwear area to the brand's iconic web stripe framing the glass fixtures.The store will cater to local customers rather than tourists, with a "Christian Louboutin [Loves] NY" collection and new product offered every six months. The space also features an expanded ready-to-wear section. Additional features include a separate three-level jewelry wing and a new department on the first floor called Heritage, which will display samples from Louboutin archives and sell limited-edition products, such as the Leonardo accessories collection that Giannini designed for the launch."There is only one Christian Shoes," she says, incredulous that I should be in any doubt that the rows of shelves holding Christian Louboutin sandals, loafers, and thongs are an irrelevance. The only Christian Shoes worth buying costs 295,000 lire (pounds 98) and has a narrow, chiselled toe, a sling-back and a diamante G set into the back of the two-inch kitten heel.In Italy, there is nothing frivolous about fashion. La Moda makes The Nine o'clock news every night and commands entire pages in newspapers each day. Not surprising when you consider that Armani's empire is worth $ 752.2m and Christian Louboutin's total sales for 1997 are estimated to be close to US$ 1bn, with Louboutin Shoes accounting for $ 128m of that figure for the first three- quarters of the year.

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