From ancient Egypt to Paris

Louis Barthelemy - Photo credits: Najla Saïd

1. Tell us who Louis Barthelemy is ?

"I am an artist and designer dividing my life between Paris, Morocco and Egypt. I was born in Lyon and grew up in London. I studied at Central Saint Martins School before moving to Paris to work for a prestigious French fashion house where I designed prints. I then started an initiatory journey which allowed me to meet artisans from Middle East, guardians of ancestral skills, with whom I collaborate today in the creation of works and frescoes. "

Louis Barthelemy - Photo credits: Najla Saïd

2. How did you meet Christian Louboutin ?

"I had the pleasure of meeting Christian Louboutin through an Egyptian architect friend who introduced him to my work. Christian bought two tapestries and then wanted us to work together on the renovation project of his very first Parisian boutique. "

Louis Barthelemy - Photo credits: Najla Saïd

3. Where did you get the inspiration for this tapestrie, specially created for the historic store rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau?

"LOUBOUXOR is inspired by the Zodiac of Dendérah, currently on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. It is a breathtaking bas-relief from Ancient Egypt depicting the vault of the sky and its constellations. It was originally located in the Hathor temple in the north of Luxor, a place for the worship of the goddess of love and festivities. My interpretation of this zodiac, representing gods and goddesses being offered shoes, fits perfectly into the world of Christian Louboutin, who celebrates Women with joy and sensuality. The piece required 6 months of work, the transcription of the design on the canvas and the complexity of the embroidery are the result of ancestral Egyptian skills. "

Louis Barthelemy - Photo credits: Najla Saïd