Can you turn a vibe into covetable merchandise? Creative director Jaden Smith’s second collection seems to be Christian Louboutin’s experiment to test this hypothesis. As someone born with a famous last name, anything he does often sets him up with insurmountable expectations. Do it well, and it’s obviously expected — if not met with suspicion on how much of the work is solely done with your contribution; do it poorly, and the world is waiting to see you fall. With the benefit of securing eyeballs to your work, nepotism also comes at a cost of inviting judgment from an audience who are eager to measure you against their expectations. If FW26 was the prelude to get his feet wet, then SS27 counts as full immersion, showcasing Smith’s creative prowess as he slowly expands his body of work.
It’s safe to say that Jaden Smith is an arbiter of vibe. You see the way he dresses and carries himself, and you’ll find yourself wanting to emulate a laidback attitude that, in most cases, only a nepo baby can exude. For him, there is an innate understanding of what is good and feels right, all without doing too much. In fact, he not having to explain himself creates part of the appeal. The press notes explain that his design language is rooted in an “archaeological and dreamlike perspective”, leading him to present pieces reminiscent of ruins and artefacts of a forgotten world. Frankly speaking, it feels like an afterthought or an overexplanation for the pieces.
Observed through an eclectic mix of cargo vests, claw-shaped clogs, gradient derbies, and a monochromatic bow and arrow set, there is little to no need to try to form a dystopian narrative to package discordance neatly. You see traces of Smith’s intuition, as he tries to materialise fleeing thoughts into concrete, wearable pieces. The tension comes from the process of playing, defying, and ultimately adhering to the technical limitations of craft. Red, as a signature for Christian Louboutin, serves as the language he enlists to connect with his audience.
More often than not, perception is shaped by expectations. If we hold Jaden Smith to the same standard as other creative directors (and honestly, why shouldn’t we?), where we observe collections through the lens of cohesion, then SS27 becomes a tough pill to swallow. However, by keeping an open mind, there is a chance to perceive his work as an act of audacity, given his stature and access, and then enjoying it for what it is. It’s the same philosophy as the critics of Juergen Tellers’ work, citing it as overly simplistic and unimaginative, to which we say: why don’t you go shoot an A-lister with a digicam yourself?
SS27 is not quite “let’s be weird for the sake of being weird”; it’s more a reflection of what moves him, which appears to be a cacophony of textures and emotions. When you start seeing pieces as fragments of his mind, each serving as an objet d’art, you would find it easier to swallow his presentation. At this juncture, Smith needs to make a stance to either double down on being consistent with this discordance, making Louboutin the lab and platform to create, or take the route to refine and polish his creations into something commercially digestible.
A vibe, as abbreviated from the word vibration, arises from a transference of energy. Sound energy may appear like music to some, but noise to others. What will his work be perceived as as time progresses?
Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our latest issue.