Jessica Brown Findlay’s Dior Gown and the Louboutin Heels That Divided the Red Carpet

On February 13, 2014, at the UK premiere of Winter’s Tale in London, England, Jessica Brown Findlay—standing 5ft 4½ (163.8 cm) and typically wearing a US shoe size 7.5—delivered a red-carpet look built around proportion and contrast, pairing romantic couture with unexpectedly bold, silhouette-sharpening footwear.

Jessica Brown Findlay graced the red carpet in a romantic Christian Dior Fall 2012 couture gown featuring soft pastel hues and a modern horizontal stripe pattern, paired with striking blue-toed Christian Louboutin “Air Chance” pumps at the ‘Winter’s Tale’ premiere held in London, England, on February 13, 2014 (Credit: James Shaw / Lia Toby / WENN)

Wearing a Christian Dior Fall 2012 couture strapless gown with pastel striping, feathered texture, and a tea-length hem, she leaned fully into a classic, fairy-tale silhouette from the shoulders down.

The softness of the dress, her loose waves, and restrained jewelry set a gentle visual rhythm—one that made her shoe choice impossible to ignore.

Jessica Brown Findlay completed her look with Christian Louboutin “Air Chance” slingback pumps featuring bold blue toe caps, creating a striking contrast to her soft, romantic gown

Instead of echoing the gown’s delicacy, Findlay grounded the look with Christian Louboutin “Air Chance” slingback pumps featuring sharp lines and vivid blue toe caps, creating a deliberate tension between romance and modern edge that continues to divide opinion—and makes the styling moment worth revisiting.

Jessica Brown Findlay’s bold blue-toed Christian Louboutin “Air Chance” pumps clashed with the soft, ethereal tones of her Dior gown

The pairing raises an enduring styling question: should statement shoes amplify a look’s softness, or intentionally disrupt it? In this case, the sharp lines and saturated blue toe caps of the Christian Louboutin “Air Chance” pumps push against the gown’s ethereal Dior finish, creating contrast rather than harmony.

The same design reads more cohesively when styled with cleaner, more architectural silhouettes—such as the cutout dresses worn by Allison Williams and Jennifer Lawrence—where the shoe’s geometry feels intentional rather than disruptive.

Color-blocked and offered in three variations, the “Air Chance” slingback is a precision piece: striking when paired thoughtfully, but not a universal match for every romantic or vintage-leaning look.

Christian Louboutin “Air Chance” Slingback Pumps in Poudre, $845

Christian Louboutin “Air Chance” Slingback Pumps in White, $845

Christian Louboutin “Air Chance” Slingback Pumps in Black, $845

Another fan of this style is Taylor Schilling, who wore Christian Louboutin “Air Chance” slingback pumps with Roksanda Ilinčić’s “Avery” dress at the 3rd Annual Reel Stories, Real Lives event.

Jennifer Lawrence also wore black Christian Louboutin “Air Chance” pumps with a matching Dior dress at a movie premiere in Paris.

Why Christian Louboutin’s “Air Chance” Still Divides—and Endures

Jessica Brown Findlay’s red-carpet moment underscores a broader truth about Christian Louboutin’s design language: the brand’s most recognizable shoes are rarely neutral.

With sharp lines, color-blocked details, and instantly legible silhouettes, styles like the “Air Chance” demand considered styling to feel cohesive rather than decorative.

For readers interested in how Louboutin heels succeed—or intentionally disrupt—across different wardrobes and proportions, the following features explore the brand’s most enduring designs, celebrity moments, and styling lessons.