How to Spot Real vs Fake Christian Louboutin Shoes

The telltale signs of a fake pair of red bottoms

Co-authored by Devin McSween

Last Updated: September 20, 2024 Fact Checked

Christian Louboutin is a luxury designer who is known for his signature red-bottom shoes. His heels, sneakers, and boots are pricey and highly sought-after, so fakes are pretty common. Luckily, there are clear differences between fake red bottoms and real ones, like the shine of the red bottoms, the clarity of the logo, and the quality of the stitching. In this article, we listed everything you need to check to tell if your Louboutins are authentic, including their soles, stitching, box, and dust bag!

Things You Should Know

Real Christian Louboutin shoes have a glossy red sole while a fake pair’s sole looks matte and dull.
Authentic shoes have a deeply engraved “Christian Louboutin” logo on the sole. The logo on fakes is typically shallow and hard to read.
Real Louboutins have tight, neat, and straight stitching. Dupes usually have large, loose stitches.

1

Sole

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Fake Christian Louboutin shoes typically have a hard, plastic sole that is matte, dull, and not as vibrant or glossy as real red bottoms.^{[1]
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The sole also seamlessly curves into the material of the shoe. If there are large gaps, the shoes are likely fake.^{[2]
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The red paint wears away on real Louboutins to reveal a beige cardboard color.

Real sneakers also have glossy red bottoms. A small logo is engraved on the edge of the shoe while the cursive “Louboutin” is stamped across the sole.^{[3]
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Compare your shoes with pictures of real Louboutins, like on the Christian Louboutin website, to make authentication easier.

2

Sole Logo

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Authentic shoes are deeply stamped near the heel with “hristian” in a serif typeface and “Louboutin” in cursive that forms the “C.”

“MADE IN ITALY” and the shoe size are engraved below the logo.^{[4]
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Fakes usually engrave the logo shallowly so it’s hard to read. You also can’t feel it very well when you run your finger over it.

Fakes typically get the font wrong and the letters are often too thick or thin.

Half sizes are stamped as “½” and not “.5” on real shoes.

Most real shoes made before 2007 have a “VERO CUOIO” stamp that’s placed in between the logo and “MADE IN ITALY.”^{[5]
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3

Stitching and Quality

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Fake Louboutins typically have large, loose stitches along the top, sides, and back of the shoes. The work often looks bumpy and uneven.^{[6]
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Research source} The craftsmanship of real Louboutins sets them apart from fakes as each shoe is handcrafted. Fake shoes usually have blatant mistakes, like the fabric not lining up and frayed stitches.

4

Insole

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The logo is centered and clearly written in a shiny gold or silver font. Several spaces below the logo is “Paris” in a serif typeface.^{[7]
X
Research source} The logo on fake shoes is often written thickly with the letters running together. Fakes often make the logo and “Paris” too large or small compared to real shoes. “Paris” is often placed too high or low on fake pairs of red bottoms.

5

Shoe Box

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The top of the box has the “Christian Louboutin” logo in the center in white with “Paris” in the bottom right corner.^{[8]
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The label sticker on the side of the box lists the shoe name, color, and size with the “Christian Louboutin” logo on a black background.^{[9]
X
Research source} Real boxes are typically of higher quality than fakes, which might look like they’re falling apart. Fake boxes often get the font wrong, using a too thick or thin typeface. The font on the label sticker is also typically off on fake boxes. There might be misspelled words, as well. The inside of real boxes is white with no logo. Fakes might paint the inside of the lid red and add the logo.

6

Dust Bag

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The bag is made out of a soft, high quality cotton. The drawstrings on the bag are black.

The “Christian Louboutin” logo is crisply printed in black in the center of the bag with “Paris” underneath and to the right.^{[10]
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A small, red drawstring bag is also in the box which contains spare heel tips. This bag has the black “Christian Louboutin” logo, too.^{[11]
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Fakes typically use a coarse canvas bag that has noticeable stitches.

If the box includes spare heel tips, fakes typically put them in a plastic bag.

The logo on fake dust bags is often too thick or thin compared to real bags.

Louboutin sneakers and men’s shoes typically come in a white dust bag with a red drawstring and logo.^{[12]
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7

Material

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Authentic shoes are made with premium leather, suede, velvet, and other fabrics that look expensive and feel soft and smooth.

The fabrics are expertly draped on real shoes without bulges or gaps, too.^{[13]
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Research source} Fake red bottoms often use low-quality materials and look poorly made compared to real ones. Inauthentic shoes might smell like plastic or chemicals, too.

8

Shape

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The arches and curves of Louboutin pumps are well-defined and smooth. The ankle flows down to the footbed and tapers into the sleek tip of the shoe.^{[14]
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Research source} While some heels have a boxy cut or chunky heel, nothing is clunky about these shoes. Fakes don’t have the same flow and often look pieced together. Real sneakers, loafers, flats, and boots also have a smooth silhouette.

9

Authenticity Certificate

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If your shoes come with a Christian Louboutin branded card that claims the shoes are authentic, they’re likely fake.^{[15]
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10

Price

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If the price of the heels, sneakers, loafers, or boots is $100 or under, the shoes are likely fake.^{[16]
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Real pairs of red bottoms typically run between $600 to $1,600.

Shop at reputable brands like Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue to ensure you’re buying authentic shoes. Stay away from stores like Shein and AliExpress as they only sell dupes. If you’re buying shoes secondhand, make sure the website or seller offers returns and a money-back guarantee.

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Tips

Buy used Christian Louboutins in person whenever you can. This allows you to inspect and authenticate the shoes yourself.

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If you bought an inauthentic pair of shoes and the seller won’t issue you a refund, submit a chargeback claim with your credit card company.

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