Christian Louboutin: The Duchess of Cambridge ‘doesn’t need style advice’

Christian Louboutin has leapt to the defence of the Duchess of Cambridge, praising her elegant sense of style.

The Duchess was recently criticised by designer Nicholas Kirkwood for her safe fashion choices, but she needn’t worry as shoe maestro (and notoriously straight-talking) Louboutin insists the royal “doesn't need advice” from the fashion elite.

[Related article: Kate's style by numbers]

[Related gallery: A year of the Duchess' style]

Louboutin's red-soled shoes are a favourite choice for a host of celebrities from Coleen Rooney to Victoria Beckham, but he insists Kate doesn't need high fashion to make her interesting.

“She has all the choice in the world,” he told vogue.co.uk. “She's a very elegant young woman. I wouldn't give her any advice - she doesn't need it, let her choose for herself. She's a big girl now.”

Kate has gained much praise for her contemporary style and has transformed undiscovered brands into household names.

‘The Duchess Effect’ has been credited with giving the UK economy an astonishing £2 billion boost with high street brands Reiss, LK Bennett, Zara and even George at Asda having benefitted from the Kate's outfit choices.

Louboutin’s compliment comes not long after he launched a sharp-tongued attack on women who struggle to walk in his skyscraper heels.

The designer previously told Grazia Magazine that it didn’t matter to him if women were in pain when they wore his shoes but that they should look elegant.“If you can't walk in them, then don't wear them,” was his black and white advice.

Addressing the quote in his latest interview with Vogue, Louboutin said he had been misquoted as far as his designs go.

“People say I am the king of painful shoes. I don't want to create painful shoes, but it is not my job to create something comfortable. I try to make high heels as comfortable as they can be, but my priority is design, beauty and sexiness,” he added. “I'm not against them, but comfort is not my focus.”

Louboutin is currently celebrating his 20th anniversary in fashion and is the subject of an extensive retrospective exhibition at London's Design Museum.

Not that we needed Louboutin’s blessing to lust over Kate’s style choices…!