Matthew Bourne's 'The Red Shoes' Is A Meta Love Letter to Art

There's a new fairy tale ballet on the world stage, but it may be more familiar than not...

Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes, debuted this year in November (2016), and is being touted as a production you don't want to miss, even though, being based on the classic film with Moira Shearer in the role of the obsessed and torn dancer, you already probably know how it goes.

World renowned contemporary ballet choreographer, Matthew Bourne has turned more than a few classics on their heads and dealing with fairy tale themes is nothing new. He may be best known for his male swan bevy in his unique take on the classic ballet fairy tale Swan Lake, but he's also adapted other fairy tales, including The Nutcracker and Cinderella. If you've been reading this blog for a few years, you'll know that we were impressed with his bizarre combination of Sleeping Beauty and vampires, that still managed to feel classic and fairy tale like, despite it's contemporary layering of concepts and styles. Whatever he does, you can be sure Bourne will make you think differently about the fairy tales you're used to watching!

It's clear film is an inspiration for Bourne in general and he loves to bring that visceral, bodily experience to a production, so an audience truly experiences his works. With The Red Shoes, Bourne is adapting the critically acclaimed, and much beloved film by cinephiles and balletomanes everywhere - something which many are wondering why it took him so long to do, as it seems ripe for the risk-taking choreographer and contemporary ballet head to tackle, seeing as he has his own company of world touring dancers.

That is, however, a very tall order. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's story, the 1948 film is often said to be the 'perfect adaptation of the fairy tale', and one that's become not just classic on its own merit, but has built its own mythology and tale status as well.

The film, based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale, is loved as well for its glorious Technicolor cinematography by Jack Cardiff and has legions of admirers, not least Martin Scorsese, who oversaw its restoration in 2009. 

It was particularly important to Bourne, who recalled seeing the film as a teenager. “At that stage I’d never actually seen a ballet, it was my introduction to that world … it does seem terribly glamorous and mystical when you watch this film.” 

Commenting on the challenge to take what works so well on screen and translate that to stage, here's how Bourne described it, during the development phase of the production:

“It is actually about dance and dancers, a world that we all understand so well. The film’s genius is to make that theatrical world at times surreal, larger than life and highly cinematic. My challenge will be to capture some of that surreal, sensuous quality within the more natural theatre setting.” 

Bourne said the story of how to become the best, and the sacrifices that had to be made, had a continuing relevance, particularly given the success of programmes such as the X Factor. 

“It is about the dedication it takes to become a star … sometimes that hard grind is forgotten about with things like X Factor. It is still relevant.”

Note: the two images show Vicki Page in the similar ecstasies she feels for her two loves:
dancing and her lover-eventually-husband, Julian Craster.

So what's the outcome?

Before we get into what the critics are saying, here's a little about the production with regard to adapting the film, to give you an idea of what it's like, including a very short video showing some clips:

A beloved fairy tale and Academy Award-winning movie, The Red Shoes has seduced audiences and inspired generations with its tale of obsession, possession and one girl’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world. 

Matthew Bourne’s magical adaptation is set to a new score arranged by Terry Davies using the music of golden-age Hollywood composer, Bernard Herrmann (famous for his work with Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles), with sumptuous set and costume designs by Lez Brotherston, Paule Constable (lighting) and Paul Groothuis (Sound). 

"Victoria Page" will be created by New Adventures star Ashley Shaw, most recently seen across the UK and internationally as "Aurora" in Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty. Cordelia Braithwaite and Katrina Lyndon (at certain performances) will also play the role. 

The Red Shoes will dazzle your senses and break your heart.

Even if it's well done, whether faithful to the film or fresh in many ways, why take the time to go see this? Yes, there will be parts of this that can't be captured on stage because they were created - masterfully - for the film medium, and so those montages and transitions where Vicki Page is dancing her role of a lifetime in the Hans Andersen fairy tale ballet role will have a hard time measuring up, if you adore the screen representation. No film, however, is going to viscerally communicate the physical and mental intensity and anguish that Page goes through, quite as well as watching it happen right before your eyes to a real live person - which is what principal dancer Ashley Shaw is lauded as doing.

And it's just as well.

While The Red Shoes 1948 film remains a runaway hit, even now, with almost everyone who sees it (whether they like ballet and fairy tales, or not) the Broadway version of The Red Shoes barely lasted 5 days in 1993, before it was shut down, losing millions. It's clear the risk of translating a cinematic hit into a similarly successful stage production is no easy feat. Fortunately something unique and wonderful appears to be happening with Bourne's take, galvanizing the production and performers to present the 'best' of live performance potential, making it clear why there truly is no such thing that can fully replace live theater.

Bourne: “The film does have that quality of being a monument, but I think you change something straight away when you take it from screen to stage. And, even though I’ve followed the film quite closely, I’ve been able to see lots of ways of expanding on it through dance. There will be quite a few surprises along the way.” 

One area where Bourne has let his imagination run riot is in choreographing the life of the ballet company Page belongs to. In the film, the company is run by Boris Lermontov, a steely aesthete and ruthless boss who has shades of the great Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev. But while Bourne has retained the character of Lermontov, he’s given the company a new identity, one that bears a distinct resemblance to the Royal Ballet back in 1948, when it was still known as Sadler’s Wells Ballet. The company had just emerged from the war years, when it went slogging around Britain entertaining the public and the troops. For Bourne, it seemed to have something of the improvised, mongrel quality of his own troupe, New Adventures. 

“It was a company I felt we could relate to, even though we’re not a ballet company ourselves. When we were building up the background and the characters in the story, I had my dancers research the lives of English dancers like Beryl Grey. Vicky, of course, is a little bit Margot Fonteyn and, although the audience doesn’t have to know about those connections, they make the work a bit richer.”

There are also reportedly many added details of historical accuracy with regard to balletic works The Sadlers Wells Ballet Company would have performed in that same, mid-20th century timespan, as well as nods to the Hollywood era of film The Red Shoes first shone in, making the piece even more satisfying for fans of both classic ballet and the late 40's film era. For the remake of a classic, which partly relies on people's nostalgia and critical appreciation of the original adaptation, it gives Bourne' production a meta quality, (perhaps ironically) marking it as a contemporary work; something that seems to define - or at least haunt - the creation of Art in this era of the internet and self-focused social media. Essentially, it becomes it's own commentary on obsession, which is very smart and/or very apt.

(You can read more about the creation and expansion of The Red Shoes contemporary ballet via an earlier article by The Guardian, when the show was being created, HERE. It will be of specific interest to dancers and those adapting film to stage.)

And the critics essentially agree. If it wasn't clear before, Australian dancer Ashley Shaw is well on her way to being a star, while the production transports the audience from lavish stage productions and world capitals, to the mess and dust of backstage and rehearsal seamlessly, as nuanced choreography is performed with impeccable skill and timing by the company dancers, making the whole package worth your time and dollars. At least, that's what the critics are indicating across the board.

Here are some excerpts.

The Guardian reports:

Matthew Bourne’s new production of The Red Shoes looks amazing. From curtain-up we are transported to the wordless dramatic realm that Bourne and designer Lez Brotherston have made their own. Each location offers an intense distillation of atmosphere. We are whirled from the Covent Garden ballet stage to a high society soiree, and thence to Monte Carlo, where the impresario Boris Lermontov holds court. It’s a feast for the eye, with every scene animated by sharp detail and witty characterisation. The score, a montage of early pieces by Bernard Herrmann, is deftly chosen... It’s all very artfully composed, and Bourne choreographs with the lightest of touches, threading in references to Hollywood movies and Diaghilev-era ballets as he goes. The Red Shoes, I’m certain, will be dancing for years to come.

While The Upcoming says:

Capturing this (seminal film) in a voiceless ballet – which in some ways is a mind-boggling inversion as a ballet about a film about a ballet – is no mean feat and presents a new challenge to Bourne’s winning formula of reinventing the classics. The approach taken with his New Adventures company is to focus on bringing the surreal and experimental nature of the movie to the stage through movement, aesthetic and sound, rather than a direct replication; in particular, fluidly crossing the boundary between on and backstage, exploring the space where art and reality start to blur, and conveying something of the double-edged joy and grief of a life dedicated to art. Dancers are in one moment expensively, beautifully costumed and the next playfully prancing around in their rehearsal gear with cigarettes still hanging from their lips. Laced with comic timing and humour, Bourne contrasts the en pointe pirouettes and arabesques of traditional ballet technique with unconfined contemporary movements that subvert, surprise and often make one laugh.  

...this is an exquisite and inventive reimagining of a dark tale, confronting what it takes to become a great performer. Or perhaps more importantly for the prolific and visionary choreographer, at its heart is a love of theatre and dance. As Bourne quotes Michael Powell: “The Red Shoes told us to go and die for art.”

And from Broadway World UK:

With expectations high, Bourne rises to the occasion with a slick and indulgent production that is rich in theatricality and swift with its storytelling. As ever, Lez Brotherston's original set designs are both eye-catching and memorable, effortlessly allowing the audience access to the onstage and off-stage scenes via a revolving velvet-curtained frame. 

Bourne may be a genius, but his triumphs are only possible thanks to a hugely talented and dynamic cast that enable his visions to come to life, and The Red Shoes is a prime example of how powerful this combination can be.

So that settles it: when The Red Shoes comes to town, we will be lining up for tickets.

It's not every day you get to witness the history of art in the making and this is shaping up to be one of those times, especially as Shaw's star rises and this becomes 'her' role of a lifetime - hopefully with many more to come!

Here's the official trailer for the production:

While it may not garner the audience numbers of Sleeping Beauty, simply because of the lesser cross-generational appeal of the story, it's clear Bourne's The Red Shoes is a love letter to the theater, to dance and to Art. It's also clear that it all loves him right back.

The Red Shoes will remain at Sadlers Wells until January 29th, 2017 then go on tour. You can find all the touring dates HERE.

'Carterhaugh School of Folklore & the Fantastic' Brings Us The Best Gift Ever: Fairy Tales!

We bring wonderful news for the end of 2016, finally!

There is a new online school in the town of the interwebs which is entirely dedicated to folklore, fairy tales and the fantastic, AND their first long course is: 'The Fairy Tale'! 

It's not your average 'introduction to fairy tales course' that you often see squished in somewhere to fill out a schedule either - you know, the sort of course where the big draw is "these fairy tales are darker than you thought.." or "forget Disney - did you know Red Riding Hood was sometimes eaten?". This course, refreshingly, recognizes you already know most of this stuff and that you're ready to explore far beyond these teasers. This is bona fide, scholarly study, that's specifically been made accessible (Einstein would be proud), with guidance from well qualified academics who adore fairy tales and folklore, love teaching it and love sharing their enthusiasm for it.

You can now join folk from around the world as you dive into a deeper exploration of fairy tales in a way you normally would have to attend a university setting for, yet without the intimidating structure and forms that can overwhelm even those who've survived a round a college.

Welcome to The Carterhaugh School of Folklore & the Fantastic!

Here's a taste of the introduction for The Fairy Tale:

Once upon a time… 

A girl in red walked into the woods with a basket for her grandmother. There, she wandered from the path, talked to a strange wolf, was eaten, was saved. 

Or, once upon a time… 

The girl, who did not wear red, went into the woods. She met a werewolf, chose the Road of Needles instead of the Road of Pins. She performed a strip-tease for the wolf, tricked him, and ran back home, and slammed the door behind her. 

Or, once upon a time… 

A girl, once more in red, walked into the woods. She wandered, talked, was eaten. She was not saved, and she remained in the wolf’s belly.

In this ten lesson course, “The Fairy Tale,” we welcome you across the threshold of Carterhaugh to explore a collection of wonder tales from around the world- stories you may know, stories you may think you know, stories that are strange and unfamiliar. Through a combination of lectures, supplemental readings, and creative responses, we will introduce you to the wide world of fairy-tale scholarship and provide the history, context, and tools to begin analyzing these stories.

This is perhaps the best gift you'd be able to give a fairy tale enthusiast, and, as a bonus, you can give it last minute (without battling crowds) or fussing with wrapping!

Qualified scholars and lecturers Brittany Warman and Sara Cleto are both PhD candidates in English and Folklore who, through their shared love of the subject and of teaching, dreamed up the idea of an online school where anyone - no matter their location in the world, or the many other limits that stop those passionate about fairy tales from pursuing study in such subjects with scholarly guidance - could attend.

That means all of us qualify to attend folks!

On top of that you could say fairy tales are kind of these ladies' "thing" (ie their true passion), so you know it's going to be special.

By the way, does the name Carterhaugh sound familiar? It should!

Over the next few days, we will be sharing a special behind-the-scenes interview with the founders of Carterhaugh, to give you a look at how such a wonderful thing came to be and what is so very enchanting about the way this school, and the fairy tale long course, in particular.

Oh yes - and you'll also learn why the name 'Carterhaugh' was chosen. ;)

Without further ado may I present the fairy godmothers of Carterhaugh School, mistresses Brittany Warman and Sara Cleto:

Ladies, thank you for so graciously agreeing to join us here at Once Upon A Blog, to share why this school is so different and how enchanting, unique and exciting this course will be.

The age of worldwide wireless wizardry, aka, the internet has opened so many opportunities for sharing knowledge, for enabling collaboration and allowing magically prompt feedback. It's wonderful to see that being put to use for folk who cannot access - or afford - more conventional fairy tale and folklore studies and scholarship!

What inspired the idea of this school , how many glass mountains did you climb and what did the two of end up throwing into your combined cauldron to make this a reality?

The origins of Carterhaugh lie, unglamorously but appropriately, in jetlag and a truly ridiculous conversation that took place between about midnight and 3am the night before we attended a conference on Folklore and the Gothic in the UK last spring (2016). We were desperately trying to sleep, and instead we ended up talking about the kinds of classes we would most love to teach and lamenting the fact that people who might really enjoy those classes wouldn’t have access to them if we taught them in a university setting. We don’t remember who thought of it first, but at some point during that conversation, we lifted the glamor of “this-is-how-we’ve-always-taught-and-so-it-must-always-be” and imagined a door to Carterhaugh, a place where we could teach beyond the limits of a traditional classroom. We had already co-taught and lectured several times, and while we both enjoy teaching our solo classes at OSU, we know that we can create a dynamic, engaging conversation when we work together. That synergy has driven the project forward, from designing syllabi to creating promotional materials to reaching out to our community of magical friends and beyond.

The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic holds a name likely familiar to regular readers here: Carterhaugh. What is it that prompted you to choose this name for your new online school and courses (other than a gentle but firm reminder to Faerie Queens that they're being watched)?

We actually struggled quite a bit with the name! We wanted something that was evocative of Faery but that also sounded professional, like a real school. We went through several ideas before landing on the final name, but we think it fits perfectly. We like to imagine the forbidden grounds of Carterhaugh as the secret, liminal space on which we have constructed a school somewhere between reality and imagination.

What are both your backgrounds of personal -o̶b̶s̶e̶s̶s̶i̶o̶n̶- interest and -̶s̶p̶e̶l̶l̶ ̶c̶a̶s̶t̶i̶n̶g̶-̶ study that have culminated in this school?

We have both loved folk and fairy tales pretty much since we can first remember - we were both voracious readers (and school nerds?) when younger and, through various winding roads and tangled forests, both managed to discover that one could actually study our favorite stories professionally in an academic setting (!) We first met in an MA program in Folklore at George Mason University and quickly became known as the “fairy-tale girls” there. We were an instant matched set, always excited by our work and driven by our passion for these stories. We constantly found ways to collaborate and work together. We thought we would probably have to go on to different programs after we finished at GMU, since we were so similar in our interests, but an unexpected turn of events (one that we’re certain the fairies had something to do with!), allowed us to both be accepted into the Folklore program at The Ohio State University as well! We are currently PhD candidates there, both focusing on folklore and nineteenth-century literature - Sara is working on her dissertation about fairy tales and disability, Brittany’s is on fairy tales, fairy legends, and the Gothic aesthetic. We continue to do all kinds of things together too, from articles to poetry to presentations. And now, of course, our school!

Do you have any affiliations or partnerships with other institutions, businesses or fairy folk?

Yes! We are alumni of the George Mason University Folklore MA program, and we are currently employed by the Ohio State University, where we teach classes on folklore, fairy tales, and literature as we complete our dissertations. We are also affiliated with fellow fairy fiends all over the country. We met colleagues when we interned at the Library of Congress who first demonstrated to us how to educate and revel outside of the box. Many of our fae colleagues are friends that we met online, and little communities have grown as a result- for example, with our dear friend Grace Nuth, we run a Facebook group called Daily Fae-shion and its 700+ members share and discuss fae-inspired fashion and daily wear. We also co-run, with the fantastic Derek Newman-Stille, the website Through the Twisted Woods, a hub for folk narrative dedicated to both representing and disrupting fairy tales, folktales, myths, legends, and fables by focusing on tales and retellings that live on the fringes of the enchanted woods, the tales that are underrepresented and that push beyond what we think of as the traditional.

So who can participate? (Are house elves allowed?) Is this US-specific? Are magic carpets required at any point? What about those who live 'between?

Pretty much anyone can participate! That’s one of the best parts about having the school online - everyone can play and no magic carpets are required to get to classes! We’re open to anyone (house elves included!) regardless of country. We welcome all ages and levels of education- while our classes are geared towards an adult audience, we had an absolutely wonderful twelve-year-old student and his mother participate in our short Halloween course as part of their homeschooling curriculum, and they were fantastic! Part of our mission is to reach students who, for whatever reason (monetary or accessibility or illness), could not take a class like this through traditional college classes.

What are you hoping folk will take away from the course/s? (Other than reasons to leave - or not leave - a bowl of milk outside at night?)

Keys. Wonder. Unspolied Milk. A Spell or Two. Reignited Passion. Old Stories. New Stories. Buttons.

Part II of our interview continues tomorrow! 

Tune in to learn about some juicy specifics of The Fairy Tale course beginning in January.

In the meantime, you can read the general introduction to the course HERE and sign up - or send a gift - HERE (scroll down the page to see the payment options).

Here's the sign-up detail summary:

Dates: January 16th, 19th, 23rd, 26th, 30th, February 2nd, 6th, 9th, 13th, 16th – note that these are simply the dates that materials will be posted! You will be able to access everything indefinitely and watch whenever is most convenient to you. 

Total Number of Lessons: 10 

What’s Included: Welcome Letter, Mailed Special Welcome Package, 10 Video Lectures, 10 PowerPoint Presentations, 10 Beautiful PDF “Grimoire Page” Lesson Summaries, PDFs or Links to Any Supplementary Reading, Personal Feedback on Completed Final Assignment if Desired 

Any Additional Materials Needed: No 

Registration Closes: January 15th at Midnight 

Price: $150 – you can pay in one, two, or three installments! Full payment must be complete by the time registration closes on January 15th.

By the way, do you love - or do you LOVE - the design below like we do? If you want to give something extra to the lucky giftee receiving the registration for the course, that they can hold in their lucky little hands, this is now available as a t-shirt or tote bag! You can find the info on that HERE.

Note: All illustrations in this post, barring the Carterhaugh School logo by Rachel Oakes, are either by Edmund Dulac or Arthur Rackham. But you probably already knew that. ;)

The Human Form of Disney's B&tB Enchanted Objects

Phew, have we been busy! We have lots of news to share but thought we'd kick off with something brief before we get to the awesome, juicy, special behind-the-scenes we have to share... and a tip for the best last minute seasonal present for a real fairy tale lover you might ever give... Stay tuned! You should find out sometime later today.

For now - if you haven't already seen this floating around the internet, take a good look at how the enchanted objects from Disney's live action Beauty and the Beast, will look* in their true and human form.

That the giant movie theater promotional cutout features the humans is probably a large hint as to the emphasis of this movie: people's true selves. We're most curious to see how that plays out with the Beast's transformation into human form and Belle's acceptance of that, after she's come to love him in his transformed state (boy are there going to be some interesting conversations arising from this!)

One question: where's the human Chip? (And is Mrs. Potts drinking from... him? O.O )

Thoughts?

*Inside the Magic

CFP: 'So Many Mattresses: Truth, Reality Fiction on a European Bed' (Australia)

The Princess And The Pea' by Louise Montillio

The Australian Fairy Tale Society has just released their Call for Presentations and Papers, for their Annual Conference, and it's not your average fairy tale theme! We're looking forward to seeing what papers and performances are inspired by 'So Many Mattresses' (so many possibilities!) and look forward to seeing how the conference shapes up for June.

Click to enlarge:

The conference will be held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on June 24, 2017. Deadline for proposals is January 27th, 2017, at 5pm AEST.

'The Little Match Girl Passion'

Match Girl by Sarah Gooll Putnam 1874

Hip-hop minimalist award winning choral work, based on Bach's Passion? Not your usual seasonal offering but it sounds like an amazing project we had to look into a bit further this year, as it's not the first - or second - time it has crossed our radar.

This musical work has been performed before in many different ways, using puppets, as well as a more traditional theatrical presentations (one of which you can see some photos of HERE, and another, more contemporary treatment HERE). Every performance has been presented to critical acclaim, but this new staging looks different again, and this time there are dancers.

The teaser trailer doesn't really give much of an idea, unfortunately, but the concept sounds wonderful and potentially very moving. (We're very curious what the dancer roles are...)

From the press release by ArtsWest, in Seattle, CA:

Performance dates: DEC 11 – DEC 22 2016 

Composed by David Lang, 2008 

Based on The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Anderson 

Modeled after Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion, The Little Match Girl Passion is a modern, minimalist retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s tragic winter fairy tale. With only matches to keep her warm, a poor young girl, afraid to go home to her abusive father, takes shelter in an alley on a cold winter night. As she strikes each match, wonderful visions appear: when the last match is struck, the girl learns that the end of her suffering – and her life – is near. Featuring four of Seattle’s most critically acclaimed voices and the lyrical, hip-hop choreography of UJ Mangune, our production of David Lang’s Pulitzer Prize-Winning masterpiece is an intimate, unforgettable evening of music and dance. 

“The piece is at once an understated narrative and an ethereal meditation.” – The New York Times 

“David Lang’s retelling of Hans Andersen’s fairy tale is an entrancingly beautiful piece.” – The Guardian 

“Minimalist in form and quasi-medieval in its sublime austerity.” – The Los Angeles Times

Issue 03 of the AFTS Ezine: 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses' Sneak Peek!

It's that time again - time for stories and poems and art and fairy tale conversations, all tucked into a new issue of The Australian Fairy Tale Society member exclusive ezine. Our theme this issue is: 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses', or 'The Shoes That Were Worn To Pieces', which we think is perfect for party season.

This one is very close to being wrapped in a digital bow and sent out to currently registered members, just in time for some holiday reading!

Without giving away too many of the goodies, we will just whisper that this issue is full of lords a'leaping, ladies dancing, dual worlds, enchanted royalty and shoes, shoes, shoes! 

It's lovely, luscious and just a little decadent. ;)

Going to miss out because you're not a member? Now is the perfect time to sign up and get exclusive access to our unique fairy tale magazine! You don't need to live Down Under or be an Aussie native to join - you just need to be happy to support the research, use and creation of fairy tales and folk who love them, in Australia. (As you'll see from the ezine - there's a lot of fairy tale magic at work these days under the Southern Cross!)

For $25 annual membership you receive the 30-ish page ezine every second month (6 issues a year), discounts to fairy tale events, exclusive fairy tale reference and research lists (put together by our qualified librarian and historian), many opportunities to network with professional writers, artists and scholars, all of whom love and work in fairy tales, and opportunities for publication of your work.

Not a bad little gift for a fairy tale lover, we might suggest (nudge, nudge) - and it keeps giving all year long!

Join HERE today and Issue 03 will be delivered in the next few days via hard working elves, sprinkled with seasonal wishes for many enchanted dancing days ahead for you all.

Disclaimer: Our resident Fairy Tale News Hound, Gypsy Thornton, is a founding member of the AFTS, Committee Member, and Editor and Designer for the AFTS Member Ezine. She receives no remuneration for her work and no profit is made on this publication. All work is done in the aim of supporting AFTS members in their fairy tale journeys.

Advertising: 'The Shoemaker and the Stars' (Christian Louboutin)

'Tis the season where luxury brands try to woo shoppers with promises of embedded magic in their products... It also makes for some very pretty ad campaigns this time of year. Released Monday December 5th, this commercial for the current Louboutin campaign, is worth a look for fairy tale folk.

“The Tale of the Shoemaker and the Stolen Stars” tells the story of a young cobbler, who is seduced by fame and fortune into breaking a promise. Told in the format of cartoon fairy tale films, this short video plays on consumers' nostalgia. (luxurydaily)

Shoes often get the holiday magic treatment and Louboutin seems to be forming a tradition of fantasy and fairy tale-esque storytelling with regard to their products. Shoes have a long history of fairy tale involvement and it's no surprise shoe companies use this to their advantage. We think it's pretty smart marketing.

From Louboutin's Facebook page:

The Queen of the land planned a magnificent ball to celebrate the birth of her twin daughters. She would invite the most distinguished and elegant people in the land. Beautiful, yet vain, she vowed, “I shall be the finest and the most radiant. I shall shine like the stars. I shall glisten and glitter. Everyone shall call me heaven, for I will be just as wondrous and celestial.” 

Our artisan went to work to make Her Majesty the most beautiful shoes in all the land. He implored the sky to lend him its stars for what would surely be a creative masterpiece. Feeling affection for its unlikely friend, the sky generously agreed, but as midnight struck, it gave the shoemaker a solemn warning to return the stars to the sky or the land would be plunged into darkness. He gave his word to the sky and the stars began to float and then soar towards him, one by one, and then in droves. 

From the precision with which he wielded his knife to carve the elegant wooden forms, to each single star he secured, the shoemaker did it all with consummate care. Turning a completed shoe in his hand, he was astonished by the light it radiated. He admired the graceful silhouette of each shoe. The night was dull without the stars, but as the shoes smoldered, the artisan felt certain they would enchant the Queen. Adding the finishing touches, he dipped his paintbrush in a glossy red lacquer and licked it across the soles. 

When his work was done, the artisan sped to the royal residence. On the steps of the palace, he laid a box bearing only his name, Christian Louboutin. The shoes, snug inside, emitted an incandescent glow. Needless to say, the hard-to-please Queen was delighted with the work of the young shoemaker! And surely enough, her celestial beauty mesmerized guests at the ball, all eyes drawn to her feet as they twinkled across the palace floor. 

The artisan’s reward for his work was a chest filled with exquisite materials and fine tools, the finest he had ever laid eyes on. He imagined instantly all he could create, and the riches these creations would bring him. But the offering from Her Majesty came with a catch. He could only have the chest in exchange for the shoes and the stars...forever. The artisan gazed into the night sky, musing wishfully. Surely the moon and sun would never truly deprive the land of their light? 

Years later, the land was still shadowed in darkness and the princesses had grown into bold, beautiful women. The artisan got word that the sisters were quarreling, so he created a lustrous clutch to captivate them. They thanked him for his wisdom and skill but before he let them keep his creation, they had to grant him just one wish… 

The full fairy tale is revealed below:

Pretty nice work! Props to the artists, writers and filmmakers who did a lovely job of continuing the tradition of the lure of magic shoes.

(Why does this remind us of Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge?)