Overview

• Smith will oversee four men’s collections a year across shoes, leather goods and accessories, and help shape campaigns, events and experiences.
• He will relocate to Paris, release an avant‑première capsule in January, and debut a full men’s collection at Paris Men’s Fashion Week in January 2026.
• Christian Louboutin will continue to oversee the men’s division and said Smith was the only candidate he considered for the role.
• Men’s products account for roughly 24% of the business, and the move is part of a strategy to reinvigorate the category as the brand balances heritage with new directions.
• Public reaction has been mixed, with praise for his cultural reach alongside nepotism critiques, as Louboutin notes Smith is learning technical craft in Italian ateliers.