How Zendaya Mastered the Art of Walking in Heels by Wearing Christian Louboutin’s ‘So Kate’ Stilettos at 14

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Zendaya can’t get enough of Christian Louboutin’s ‘So Kate’ heels.

The shoe, which is a variation of the ‘Kate’ heels and is inspired by model Kate Moss, made its debut in 2013 with a 120mm super-stilleto heel. Zendaya has been wearing the shoes since she was 14 — according to stylist Law Roach.

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 25:  Actress Zendaya is seen outside "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" on June 25, 2019 in New York City.  (Photo by Raymond Hall/GC Images)
Actress Zendaya is seen outside “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on June 25, 2019 in New York City.

Roach, who made an appearance on Recho Omondi’s fashion podcast, The Cutting Room Floor, said while the shoe is one of the most painful, it is one of the most versatile styles out there.

Roach said he put Zendaya in the pumps when she was a teenager and it has essentially trained her feet to walk in heels. And she’s pretty much only going to wear the ‘So Kates.’

“She was collapsing,” he said on the first time she wore the shoes. “And I said you will not take these shoes off and she kept them on. The next day she put them on again… It became our thing. Her feet are trained, she can wear them all day. She can dance in them, she can kick her legs up, she can run down stairs… She’s going to wear a 120 mm pump and that’s it.”

Though Zendaya has been wearing the style for years, she put the shoes on display most recently on her “Challengers” film press tour where Law received 40 pairs to choose from. At a photocall in London, for instance, the actress paired the white ‘So Kate’ heels with a striped Vivienne Westwood skirt and vest set.

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 11: Zendaya attends the "Challengers" Photocall at Claridges Hotel on April 11, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Zendaya attends the “Challengers” Photocall at Claridges Hotel on April 11, 2024 in London, England.

For designer Christian Louboutin himself, he said the shoes — which are an extension of the Pigalle — is such a classic to his collection because it “gives all the power to legs of whoever wears them with no distraction and just elevation.”

He told FN, “The ‘So Kate’ lets the woman and her entire body language speak.”

The brand’s relationship with Zendaya and Roach is an organic one, too, with Roach adding that they’ve never been paid to wear the shoes.

“We get no monetary [incentive] from Christian Louboutin. They have never wrote us a check. It’s an authentic, organic relationship,” he said. “She just loves the shoes.”

During her press tour, Zendaya also wore the ‘So Kates’ with a range of looks, including a custom Thom Browne dress, a Calvin Klein suit ensemble, vintage Louis Vuitton plaid jacket dress and more.

PARIS, FRANCE - APRIL 06: Zendaya attends the "Challengers" Paris Photocall at Maison De L'Amerique Latine on April 06, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Kristy Sparow/Getty Images)
Zendaya attends the “Challengers” Paris Photocall at Maison De L’Amerique Latine on April 06, 2024 in Paris, France.

To see more of Zendaya in Christian Louboutin’s ‘So Kate’ heels, click through the gallery.

Zendaya is seen at "Good Morning America" on April 23 in New York City.
Zendaya is seen at "Good Morning America" on April 23 in New York City.

Zendaya’s Best Christian Louboutin ‘So Kate’ Heels Moments

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Launch Gallery: Zendaya's Best Christian Louboutin 'So Kate' Heels Moments

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