Picture this.
You’re at some fancy gala. Crystal chandeliers, clinking champagne glasses, the whole nine yards. Then she walks in—this woman who just owns the room. Long black dress, confident stride, and when she turns… there it is. That flash of red on her soles.
Everyone notices. Everyone knows.
Here’s what kills me: those same people watching her? They know damn well those shoes are torture devices. By the end of the night, she’ll probably be limping to the coat check, shoes in hand, wondering why she does this to herself.
But she’ll buy another pair next month.
Why do we do this to ourselves?
Simple. Louboutins aren’t selling shoes. They’re selling who you become when you wear them.
Put them on and you’re not just another woman in heels. You’re the woman who can afford $800 shoes. You’re untouchable. Powerful. The kind of person other people notice.
Christian Louboutin figured this out decades ago, and it’s made him ridiculously rich. But here’s what’s really interesting—this whole thing is actually a masterclass in business psychology.
People buy stories, not stuff
Louboutin turned a red sole into a status symbol that needs zero explanation. No logo required. One glimpse of that signature red and everyone knows exactly what they’re looking at—and what you paid for it.
That’s not just clever marketing. That’s creating a myth.
The lesson? Your customers need to feel like they’re buying into something bigger than your product. Tesla customers aren’t just buying cars—they’re buying the future. iPhone users aren’t just buying phones—they’re buying into the Apple ecosystem, the design philosophy, the whole identity. Louboutin buyers aren’t just buying shoes—they’re buying the feeling of being that woman.
Desire makes people ignore problems
Look, nobody’s pretending Louboutins are the most comfortable shoes ever made. But when you want something badly enough, comfort becomes secondary.
The lesson? If your brand creates enough desire, customers will overlook flaws. Remember the first iPhone? Terrible battery life. Early Tesla models? Charging nightmares. But people lined up anyway because the desire was stronger than the inconvenience.
Your product doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be irresistible.
Find your signature thing
The red sole isn’t just design—it’s genius. Trademarked, instantly recognizable, impossible to copy legally. It’s a signal that works across cultures and continents.
The lesson? What’s your equivalent? What’s the one thing about your business that competitors can’t replicate? Maybe it’s your company culture, your customer service, a unique feature, or just the way you do things. But you need something that makes you unmistakable.
Make them work for it
You won’t find Louboutins at Target. They’re sold in carefully selected boutiques, in limited quantities, at prices that make most people think twice.
The lesson? Sometimes making yourself harder to get makes people want you more. Exclusivity and premium pricing can actually drive demand up, not down. Are you making yourself too accessible?
The real point
This isn’t about encouraging businesses to make products that literally hurt their customers (please don’t).
The real point is that people don’t just buy what you’re selling—they buy how it makes them feel about themselves.
When your product becomes a symbol of aspiration, customers will pay more, forgive flaws, and become walking advertisements for your brand. Because they’re not really buying your product. They’re buying the version of themselves they want to be.
So here’s what you should ask yourself:
What story does your brand tell? What’s your “red sole”—that thing nobody else can copy? And most importantly: are you selling a product, or are you selling a transformation?
Because once your brand becomes unmistakable, you stop competing on price and start competing on dreams.
And just like Louboutin proved, people will pay almost anything for the right dream—even if it hurts a little.
On Becoming An I(M)perfectionist 