Jaden Smith as a Louboutin creative director sparks new Nepo-Baby debate

The decision by the French shoe brand Christian Louboutin Jaden Smith, son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith to appoint chief designer for men’s fashion, triggered criticism. The appointment caused a sensation in the industry and triggered discussions about supposed “Nepo-Baby” instruction.

The 27-year-old Smith, who does not make a career as an actor or rapper like his famous father, has been a regular guest for fashion shows for years-both in the front row and as a model. His striking outfits regularly attract attention. At this year’s Grammy Awards, he wore a black, Transylvanic Castle on his head, which he brought with him to the MET GALA 2017.

Louboutin praised the creativity of the young designer. According to a report by the French newspaper Le Figaro, he is convinced of Smith’s talents and is pleased to have an “intelligent voice from another generation” at his side.

In the future, Smith should move to Paris and develop four men’s collections a year, including shoes, leather goods and accessories for the brand, which is primarily known for its stilettos with red soles. While women’s shoes continue to make up most of the sales, according to company information, around 25 percent are eliminated.

Experiences and challenges

Smith takes over the position with limited experience in the fashion industry – at a time when the competition with corporations such as LVMH is intense and the industry is under global pressure. In 2012 he founded the niche brand MSFTSREP for Unisex Streetwear, which specifically appeals to millennials and gen z. He has also worked with sneaker manufacturers New Balance for a long time.

In addition to fashion, Smith is also involved in socially and ecological. He supported a sustainable bottle water company and a vegan food truck for homeless people.

Louboutin commented on Smith’s fashionable skills. He still lacks the technical experience, but he has already visited Italian factories and was ready to learn. “What you can’t learn are enthusiasm, taste and passion. He has all of this,” says Louboutin.

Pressure and expectations

Smith, who stood in the spotlight early – among other things in the pursuit of happiness (2006) and Karate Kid (2010) – told the industry magazine WWD that he felt the pressure to meet Louboutin’s legacy and to take on an important role within the brand.

Part of his attractiveness for Louboutin is within reach: Smith has over 19 million Instagram followers: inside and can bring the brand vision closer to a younger audience. The decision is reminiscent of Louis Vuitton, which in 2023 appointed the entertainer Pharrell Williams as creative director of men’s fashion.

Criticism and discussions

The reactions in the media and on social media were mixed. A headline of the French news station BFM mocked a lack of design school and experience via Smith’s. On Instagram, users said: Inside that prominent children were preferred in the fashion industry, while “real talents” often had no chances.

The term “Nepo-Babys” is established in the industry for children of well-known personalities, whose success is partially attributed to the connections of the parents. In addition to Smith, the expression is also applied to the descendants of Johnny Depp, Lenny Kravitz or Gwyneth Paltrow.

Stella McCartney, daughter of Paul McCartney, is considered a counterexample because she established herself as an independent player in the fashion world at the head of her brand of the same name.

The publication Business of Fashion sees Louboutin’s decision as a strategic step towards succession planning: “The billion -dollar shoemaker takes a first step towards succession by bringing a new creative director for the men’s category.”