Jada Pinkett Smith and her son Jaden Smith turned a quiet walk through Paris into a meaningful fashion moment. Spotted together in the Montparnasse district on January 19, the mother and son subtly coordinated their looks while marking a major career milestone for Jaden, who is currently making waves in the luxury fashion world.
Jada stepped out in an effortlessly cool ensemble. She wore an oversized black leather puffer jacket layered over a black hoodie, paired with relaxed blue jeans. The look was grounded in comfort but elevated by bold red statement heels, a pop of color that gave the outfit a confident Parisian finish.
Her appearance felt intentional, not just stylish but supportive, as she showed up in the city during a pivotal moment in her son’s career. Jaden, meanwhile, has been firmly planted in Paris for reasons that extend far beyond fashion week appearances.
The 27-year-old musician, actor, and fashion entrepreneur has officially been appointed men’s artistic director at Christian Louboutin, marking the first time in the brand’s history that someone other than founder Christian Louboutin himself has taken the creative reins of the men’s division.
His debut is set to take place during Paris Fashion Week where he will unveil a preview capsule collection ahead of his first official runway show for the Fall-Winter 2026 season. The appointment signals a bold new chapter, not just for Jaden, but for the iconic red sole house as it leans into a younger, more digitally fluent creative vision.
“This is one of the biggest honors of my life,” Smith previously told WWD. “I feel a lot of pressure to be able to live up to everything that Christian has done for the house, and also stepping into such a serious role.”
That pressure is balanced by a sense of creative alignment between the two. According to Smith, their working relationship feels organic and immersive. “We have a very similar workflow where we go into the office,” he explained, noting that ideas often continue to flow well beyond formal meetings. “If there’s a dinner party or something, we go there, and we continue the same conversation that we were having in the office with the same people.”
Christian Louboutin has echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that the partnership was born from admiration rather than necessity. “It’s not because I needed the creative director, it’s because of him, in fact,” Louboutin said. “The day I said to myself, ‘He’d be a great person to work with’ was the day I realized I had been studying him without realizing it.”
For Jaden, fashion has long been personal. He co-founded streetwear label MSFTSrep with his sister Willow in 2012 and has collaborated with brands like New Balance. His fascination with footwear, however, traces back to childhood memories rooted in family. “I would be in my mom’s closet, hanging out with her as she got ready for an event and she had a row of shoes with red bottoms,” he recalled. “I became bewildered by the shoes at a very young age.”
Those memories add extra resonance to Jada’s presence in Paris now. Her appearance alongside her son feels full circle, a visual reminder of the early influences that helped shape his creative path. While Jaden prepares to introduce his vision to the fashion world, his mother’s quiet show of support underscores the family bond behind the milestone.
The men’s line at Christian Louboutin, introduced 15 years ago, will continue under Louboutin’s supervision, but Smith is taking the lead on design, campaigns, and social media. Louboutin has described the move as essential for the brand’s evolution, noting the importance of generational perspective in today’s fashion landscape.
Smith’s first full seasonal collection for Fall Winter 2026 will arrive in stores this May, following the January preview drop. If the anticipation surrounding his debut is any indication, the moment in Paris marks not just another fashion week appearance, but the beginning of a defining era.
And as Jaden steps into that spotlight, Jada Pinkett Smith’s presence nearby serves as a reminder that even the boldest fashion moves are often backed by something timeless, a mother showing up for her son.