empress' new shoes

Christian Louboutin, you've failed to impress me!

After unsuccessful hunts in five Louboutin boutiques in three countries, I'd nearly given up on ever finding a pair of these red soled lovelies in my all too popular size.

My losing streak seemed to end last week in London at Selfridges, when I fell in love at first sight with this pair of Neofilo 120 Platform Pumps, which by some miracle, they had in my size.

When I came back to Denmark and had my first out of store look at my glass slippers, I was horrified to see that one of them was riddled with quality issues...
 


Selfridges forwarded my complaint to Christian Louboutin's UK customer service.  I filled out the required form, and sent it in along with these photos and received a reply saying:

"Your areas of concern are not easy to identify within the images.   As a gesture of goodwill I can offer to cover the shipping cost for your replacement pair but you would have to send the shoes back to Selfridges (the address is stated on your recite). Please let me know if you would like to go ahead with this and I will have a replacement pair fully inspected and reserved until we receive your current pair."

First world problem, but REALLY???

I've paid £525 for a pair of shoes, one of which is clearly of inferior quality and I'm expected to pay the return postage so that "as a gesture of goodwill" I can receive a replacement of appropriate quality? 

If this shoe is in fact what Louboutin deems to be appropriate quality, then Christian Louboutin should be ashamed.  I could probably have found similar quality counterfeit Louboutins on Canal Street for a tenth of the price!

The thing is, I'm in a quandary here.  On principle, I should insist on a refund.  On the other hand, the other shoe is beautiful, and as a pair, they'd complement my other insanely indulgent London purchase, a Louis Vuitton Alma bag!

What would you do? Pay for return postage on an exchange, or insist on a refund?   Please don't tell me I'm insane for spending £525 on a pair of shoes ;-)

Either way, I'm appalled at the poor quality of Christian Louboutin shoes, and their very poor customer service. This is not my first pair of designer shoes, but regardless of what I decide, this will be my first and last pair of Louboutins.

Labels: ,