If the shoe fits, walk in it everywhere you go.
Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour has run for close to two years and seen the pop star travel around the world, with the shows concluding in Vancouver, Canada on Dec. 8.
Swift, 34, wears a multitude of costumes — and at least nine different pairs of shoes — over the course of each three-plus-hour show, which spans her entire 11-album career and revisits each of her era’s distinct aesthetics.
And as Swifties know well, rain, wind and extreme heat are no match for the performer; in almost every instance, the show will go on.
So how does she dance, sing, jump, and run around the stage comfortably in high heels the entire time? Besides a rigorous workout routine tailored to her specific needs, one secret lies in the soles of her shoes, crafted by legendary designer Christian Louboutin.
The French footwear artist spoke to InStyle about exactly how he crafted her many custom heels — including knee-high boots, booties, loafers, lace-up booties and strappy pumps — to withstand her demanding performances. (And those of the Grammy winner’s dancers, who wear their own Loubs.)
Louboutin, who has designed many shoes for Taylor over the years, revealed that he altered his signature red bottoms to include a rubber sole, making them “unslippable.”
“Weather is unpredictable,” he told the outlet. “However, each pair is crafted with a signature red rubber sole, which makes it easy to dance. We typically incorporate this feature for musicians’ tours to withstand the performances night after night.”
Plus, Louboutin says, “Each pair is made to fully to allow for quick changes through the entirety of the show. As they are dancing for over three hours, comfort is also extremely important. So we incorporated [a] sturdy block heel and also flats.”
As for what inspired Swift’s stage shoes? Her past, of course, as well as his own roots.
“The [Eras Tour] stage clothes were instrumental in the overall inspiration. It has been a pleasure for someone like me, who started designing shoes for cabaret dancers, to imagine pairs for her tour and thinking about the overall performance and how the shoes will come to life,” he said.
In order to achieve “big shine” on bejeweled heels, members of the atelier hand-placed thousands of crystals on the knee-high boots she opens the show in, as well as the various colorful booties Swift wears during her “1989” set.
For Swifties wanting a closer look at the details, more exclusive photos will be included in her official Eras Tour book, out at Target this Friday.
