By Sadie Whitelocks


High feat: Christian Louboutin has designed a pair of eight-inch stilettos for a silent charity auction which closes at 10.30pm tonight to help raise funds for the English National Ballet


You can't turn the page of a magazine without seeing the likes of Victoria Beckham or Coleen Rooney teetering around in a pair of sky-high Christian Louboutins.

But now the 47-year-old, French shoe designer has taken height to the next level producing a pair of eight-inch, red-soled stilettos.

Based on the ballet shoe, the towering silk and Swarovski-encrusted heels are being auctioned off along with a number of other fashion wares to raise funds for the English National Ballet (ENB).


These are one of a number of unique lot items which have been specifically created by some of the leading names in fashion.

Designers including Erdem, Giles Deacon, Moschino, Roksanda Ilincic and Julien Macdonald have donated ballet-inspired pieces, modelled by professional dancers.

The current sale - which is hoped to raise over £50,000 for the ENB - comes following the Arts Council's decision to cut its grant by around £2 million.

Louboutin said: 'I could not help being inspired by English National Ballet... after all... isn’t the classical dancing ballet slipper the ultimate heel?

'The heel which makes dancers closer than any other women to the sky, closer to heaven!'

Test run: A dancer tries on the latest pair of stilettos from Christian Louboutin, which are based on the ballet pointe shoe


Without raising necessary funds the world famous ballet company will be forced to cutback performances and touring.

The Summer Party Silent Auction opened last Thursday and will close at 10.30pm tonight.

Roksanda Ilincic added: 'It was a challenge to develop an individual slant on a piece that’s so famous for looking a certain way but a challenge is always inspiring.

Inspiration: A dancer showcasing one of the lot items designed by Erdem who has used ballet as a theme for his current fashion collections


Centre stage: Giles Deacon's tutu is based on the character of the Black Swan in Swan Lake


'Also, I think every girl has her fantasy ballet tutu in mind so to have the opportunity to create has been magical.'

Founded in 1950 by Dame Alicia Markova and Sir Anton Dolin, the English National Ballet employs 65 dancers and a symphony orchestra.

There has traditionally been collaboration between ballet and fashion dating back to Coco Chanel and dance director Sergei Diaghilev in the 1920s.



source:dailymail