WWD

LUXE LEATHER: TABOO NO MORE

Both Louboutin and jeweler Eddie Borgo credit punk rock for referencing traditional bondage gear. Borgo also uses fetish detail, and it has become part of his brand’s DNA. Cones and spikes were a result of requests from his stylist friends and of his early days learning metalsmithing and the art of wax carvings used to make the jewelry molds. At their 2008 debut, buyers said the pieces were “too dangerous — getting through a TSA checkpoint would be an issue.”

Borgo used Fabien Baron’s “Sex” book as a jumping-off point for his padlock group, which featured a thick collar necklace.

“The one bracelet was considered too aggressive when it launched,” he said. “Now, there is little or no shock value.”

His last three collections explored softer elements like pearls and roses in his otherwise strong aesthetic — a reaction to the oversaturation of tough themes.