Christian Louboutin's video with Beyonce's dancer Honey Balenciaga in high heels sparks outrage on Instagram

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French brand Christian Louboutin is launching a new video series on social media. The project, titled “Storytime,” introduces followers to the brand's history and tells of classic silhouettes and the company's origins. But one of the posts featuring Honey Balenciaga sparked a fierce reaction.

For a clip celebrating the Loubi54, a crossbody clutch inspired by Studio 54, the brand tapped dancer Honey Gonzales, best known as Honey Balenciaga. In the video, Gonzalez appears in a series of looks, wearing neon So Kate heels and carrying a range of Loubi54 bags.

Gonzales rose to stardom as a backup dancer on Beyonce's Renaissance tour, but was already a viral star of the underground ballroom scene before that. In 2020, Gonzales stole the show with a spectacular performance on an episode of the competition show “Legendary” before returning in 2021 to compete in the second season, where she placed second.

Although the Louboutin video clip appeared on Louboutin's TikTok account back in June, garnering more than a million views and mostly positive comments, the most recent post on Instagram has been the subject of criticism. Since it was published on August 27, commenters have vowed not to buy anything and unfollow the brand because of the ad.

“Once upon a time… Louboutin stood for sexy, confident women,” wrote one account. The post is the most popular comment among users of the video. In another comment, content creator Ella Dvornik-Pearce wrote about the history of the heels.

“High heels were originally designed for men,” she wrote, explaining that they originated in the 10th century as a utility shoe for Persian horsemen. “In the 17th century, high heels became a symbol of status and power among the European aristocracy. Men often wore them as a sign of their wealth and social status.”

Gonzales came out as nonbinary to her fans in an ad for Nike in 2021. The star appeared in a Nike campaign for women's sportswear.

“I don't quite fit into the categories of 'man' or 'woman,' my gender blends and changes over time,” Gonzales wrote at the time, saying her ad aired in places like Russia, Los Angeles, Brazil, Germany and Bangkok. “I identify as nonbinary, but you will address me as a lady. Dancing allows me to express myself, communicate with my body and celebrate being my most authentic self. That's why I love Vogue.”

Zendaya's best moments with Christian Louboutin “So Kate” heels

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