My London: Christian Louboutin

Home is…

Paris, where I was born. I always say I’m not French, I am Parisian — 1,000 per cent.

Where do you stay in London?

I always stay at Claridge’s. It’s exactly how I imagine it would have looked in the 1930s. Any interior updates made by Guy Oliver are simply invisible.

Earliest London memory?

I first visited London in 1976 with my sister. I have a great picture of me in front of Selfridges on Oxford Street in a leather jacket and bright yellow sunglasses. Chic!

Favourite pub?

The Grenadier on Wilton Row. As with all the best London pubs, it is almost impossible to find.

Favourite discoveries?

In Vino Veritas (right), in Walthamstow. It’s a tiny wine shop with a single table outside. It does two things — wine and cheese. I love its proper Breton galettes.

Best piece of advice?

I have always followed the advice of my cabinet-maker father, which was to ‘always go with the grain of the wood if you want to make something beautiful’.

Which shops do you rely on?

Papers & Paints in Chelsea has the best range of historical paint colours: 17th-century English, 18th-century French, Greek, Roman... I particularly love its matt paint. And Persephone Books in Bloomsbury is wonderful: it only publishes out-of-print books by mostly female authors.

Most romantic thing someone’s done for you?

Carry my suitcase, which was full of beautiful plants, all the way through customs at Heathrow.

Who’s your hero?

Miss Piggy.

What’s the best thing a cabbie has ever said to you?

‘Relax mate: we will make the Eurostar.’

What are you up to at the moment?

I’m in Mumbai, where I have been working on a project with a great friend of mine, couture designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. I love all aspects of Indian culture. In fact my new eye [make-up] collection (left) was inspired by the Indian dance, Kathakali.

What was the last play you saw?

The Audience at the Apollo Theatre. I loved seeing my friend Kristin Scott Thomas (right) as the Queen. She seemed very at home in the role. The most memorable play I have seen is People, Places and Things — Denise Gough was incredible.

What is the first thing you do when you arrive in London?

Call Terrence the Teacher to arrange a Pilates session. He’s the best in town and a great hypnotherapist.

What would you do if you were mayor for the day?

Start the building of Thomas Heatherwick’s Garden Bridge immediately.

Have you ever had a run-in with a London policeman?

No, but there’s still potential: if I was caught taking seeds from the Chelsea Physic Garden.

Who do you call when you want to have fun?

Gemma Arterton. She’s a lot of fun to hang out with and knows where to take me.

Biggest extravagance?

In London, it’s probably ornamental embroidery on suits, like frogging. I go to Norton & Sons on Savile Row.

Eyes by Christian Louboutin is available now at selfridges.com