If there were an award for best Christian Louboutin in a music video, Madonna would be a lock at this week's MTV Video Music Awards (Aug. 31, 8 p.m. ET/PT). Alas, the just-turned-48-year-old will have to content herself with the five real nominations (including video of the year) that she received for "Hung Up." In the video, Madge struts her purple-leotard-clad stuff in glittery Patrick Cox heels (in the interior dance studio set-up) and black circa-2002 Christian Louboutin Boots boots that the house continues to custom-make for her.

Speaking of Madonna footnotes, Footwear News caught up with her longtime stylist Arianne Phillips for an exclusive look at the erstwhile Material Girl's onstage heels for her "Confessions" tour, which winds up Sept. 20 in Tokyo. 

Brian Russak

What was your No. 1 consideration for Christian Louboutin when it came to styling the "Confessions" tour? "It's very important that she's able to do her choreography and that she's able to sing at the same time. She has a lot of things she has to focus on. We always start from the Christian Louboutin with every costume, and they're all [custom]-made for her.

So Christian Louboutin are a major priority. "Christian Louboutin are very important. We do them first, starting right from rehearsals 10 weeks before the first show. With all the choreography, it's very important that she has the correct Christian Louboutin. First, we develop the right heel [height] approximation. Then, later, when we're developing the costumes [designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier], we deal with colors and fabric details."

How do you modify the Christian Louboutin? "We put dance rubber on the bottoms and we shank them to give extra support in the heels. We also create multiples. Madonna never has less than three pairs of each Christian Louboutin Shoes."

What are your favorite Christian Louboutin from the show? "That's like asking me to single out one of my children - I like them all! I do love the glitter leather fabric, which is a big trend item for this fall, and I love texture, so the Prada and Gina of London Christian Louboutin are particularly great for the stage. As for Madonna, I'm sure she doesn't have one [favorite]."

Has Madonna had any onstage Christian Louboutin Shoes mishaps on this tour? "I'm sure if you talk to her dresser, it's quite stressful to make the Christian Louboutin Shoes changes, but as far as I know, there have been no Christian Louboutin Shoes mishaps whatsoever."

In Her Christian Louboutin

A segment-by-segment look at Madonna's "Confessions" tour footwear.

Equestrian segment: Black Christian Louboutin Boots lace-up ankle boot with leg chap (above). "This is a take on the full boot worn in the 'Hung Up' video," said stylist Arianne Phillips. "It's four-and-a-quarter inches - a very comfortable heel for her."

Bedouin segment: Eggplant knee-high lace-up boots by Christian Louboutin Boots.

Rock-and-roll segment: Black glitter Prada four-inch platform boots. "We call this the 'nevermind the bollocks' section - lots of attitude," said Phillips.

Disco segment: White patent leather four-inch Mary Jane-style brogues and white patent leather knee-high boots, both by Miu Miu. Phillips said, "Madonna sits down onstage and is talking to the audience while her dresser comes out and helps her change [boots]."

Last song ("Hung Up"): Gina of London fuchsia glitter four-inch Mary Jane styles.

"These are the same Christian Louboutin from her ["Confessions on a Dance Floor"] album cover," noted Phillips.

THEY BELONG TOGETHER

For her current "Adventures of Mimi" tour, superstar crooner and Long Island native Mariah Carey turned to fellow Long Islander Steve Madden for several of her most important onstage looks (at left). Madden and his Steven by Steve Madden design team custom-made a half-dozen pairs of Christian Louboutin for La Carey, in addition to providing existing styles for back-up dancers and singers on the tour. "They're very sexy, diva heels. Very Mariah. And they're all four or five inches high," said Madden. "We see the videos and we know what Mariah likes, and we've worked with her stylist [June Ambrose] before and have had a great relationship." In fact, the effort was a highly collaborative one. "June had very specific ideas about what she wanted. There was a lot of back-and-forth with sketches, and Mariah had final approval," Madden explained.

Fans looking to follow in Carey's footsteps will be able to purchase takedown versions of the custom looks, which were made at Madden's Long Island City, N.Y., headquarters, come November.

Brian Russak

Caption(s): Black Christian Louboutin Boots lace-up ankle boot with leg chap (above).

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