Paris Fashion Week 2025 has once again proven to be a breeding ground for bold statements and heated debates, with celebrities pushing boundaries in ways that divide audiences. This season, all eyes turned to Jaden Smith, the 27-year-old son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, whose appearance on the streets of Paris ignited a firestorm of criticism. On October 5, 2025, Smith was captured in a viral video strutting through the city with his face fully painted red and his underwear blatantly visible beneath low-slung pants.
The clip, which has amassed over 7 million views on X, shows him adjusting his waistband as it slips, exposing the garment in a moment that many deemed unnecessary and provocative. This incident, occurring amid the high-profile Christian Louboutin show, underscores the fine line between avant-garde fashion and public excess, leaving netizens and fashion watchers questioning the limits of celebrity self-expression. Jaden Smith’s outing was not isolated but tied directly to his recent elevation in the luxury world. Just weeks prior, on September 17, 2025, Christian Louboutin announced Smith as the brand’s first-ever men’s creative director—a historic appointment aimed at infusing youthful energy into the iconic red-soled shoe empire.
The role positions Jaden Smith to oversee four annual collections, with his debut slated for January 2026 during Paris Men’s Fashion Week. Louboutin himself praised Smith’s vision, noting in a statement that the artist brings a fresh narrative to the brand’s storytelling. However, Smith’s street-side ensemble amplified the scrutiny surrounding this move, blending his new professional responsibilities with personal flair that veered into controversy. The backlash erupted almost immediately after the video surfaced, posted by influencer Oli London with the caption highlighting Smith’s “fashion icon” status juxtaposed against the revealing look.
Users on X and other platforms flooded the comments with sharp rebukes, focusing on the visible underwear as a breach of decorum. “Will Smith should’ve slapped…” one viral tweet read, invoking the infamous 2022 Oscars moment in a jab at perceived parental oversight. Another popular response quipped, “Dad has incredible talent, but the son inherited none of it,” drawing unfavorable comparisons to Will Smith’s storied career in film and music. Critics argued that the exposure was not just sloppy but disrespectful to the polished ethos of Fashion Week, where attendees like Heidi Klum and Jenna Ortega maintained more restrained elegance.
Further dissecting the outfit reveals a deliberate nod to Smith’s role at Louboutin. He donned an all-denim ensemble accented with red accessories, including fingerless mittens and a sideways baseball cap, layered over what appeared to be football-inspired gear from the brand’s show. The red face paint, a recurring motif in Smith’s wardrobe, was explicitly symbolic: it mirrors Louboutin’s signature red sole, a detail insiders confirmed as intentional branding. This wasn’t Smith’s first foray into such aesthetics; he has sported red paint at prior events, including an afterparty on October 4, 2025.
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Yet, the addition of the sagging pants—captured mid-adjustment in the video—shifted the narrative from artistic to awkward, prompting accusations of seeking shock value over substance. Fashion analysts point out that Jaden Smith’s history with boundary-pushing is well-documented. Since becoming Louis Vuitton’s menswear ambassador in 2016, he has championed gender-fluid looks, from pleated skirts at the brand’s campaigns to block-heel slip-ons at their Spring 2026 show earlier in the week.
At Louboutin’s October 2 runway, themed around American football with collaborations from photographer David LaChapelle and choreographer Bianca Li, Smith sat front row in a full red ensemble, shoulder pads evoking athletic armor. Celebrities like Gwendoline Christie, Tessa Thompson, and Pom Klementieff joined him, but his post-show street appearance stole the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. The visible underwear, in particular, drew ire for its perceived vulgarity, with some users labeling it “hygiene-poor” and unfit for public spaces.
Jaden Smith struts through Paris like a runway reject, rocking red face paint and flashing his undies for all to see. pic.twitter.com/dcMRpNN90k
— Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) October 6, 2025
The online reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, with hashtags like #JadenSmithBacklash trending briefly on X. Trolling extended beyond aesthetics to nepotism claims, with detractors arguing that Smith’s Louboutin gig owes more to his family name than merit. “From Karate Kid to this?” one user mocked, referencing his 2010 film debut. Others expressed disappointment in the fashion industry’s willingness to platform such “stunts,” especially as Smith attended multiple shows, including Louis Vuitton’s on September 30, where he carried a custom wooden box bag.
The video’s rapid spread—shared across platforms like Instagram and TikTok—has amplified these voices, turning a momentary lapse into a broader critique of celebrity privilege. Defenders, though fewer, frame the incident as misunderstood innovation. A minority of comments praised the red paint as a bold homage to Louboutin’s heritage, arguing that Fashion Week thrives on provocation.
Jaden Smith’s own Instagram post on October 5, a mirror selfie showcasing the vivid red makeup, garnered mixed responses but highlighted his unapologetic stance. As one supporter noted, “He’s redefining luxury for Gen Z—deal with it.” This divide mirrors past controversies, like Smith’s 2022 Met Gala skirt or his 2025 Grammys castle headpiece, where initial shock often evolves into acceptance. Yet, the underwear element has proven stickier, evoking comparisons to low-rise jean trends of the early 2000s but without the cultural cushion.
The Outfit Breakdown: Symbolism or Sloppiness?
Delving deeper into Jaden Smith’s ensemble provides context for the uproar. The all-denim base, featuring patchwork pants from Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2026 collection, evoked ’90s streetwear—a staple in Smith’s repertoire. Paired with red Louboutin sneakers and the face paint, it was a clear tribute to his new directorial duties. Sources close to the brand confirm the paint was applied professionally, intended to “embody the red sole’s fire.” However, the pants’ precarious fit—slipping to reveal boxer briefs—undermined the intent, turning a curated look into a candid mishap.
This wasn’t mere accident; Jaden Smith’s affinity for low-rise silhouettes dates back years, seen in his Fall 2025 Louis Vuitton appearance with slouchy jeans. Fashion editorials have lauded this as gender-fluid rebellion, but public reception remains polarized. At the Louboutin show, the football theme lent itself to athletic padding, which Smith amplified with shoulder pieces. Yet, on the streets, sans runway lighting, the elements clashed: the red paint smeared slightly under Paris’s October chill, and the underwear peek felt gratuitous. Critics like those on Daily Mail called it “quirky to a fault,” while WWD noted it as an extension of Smith’s “shapeshifter” persona from prior seasons.
The backlash also touches on practicality. Paris streets, teeming with photographers and fans during Fashion Week, demand poise. Jaden Smith’s security detail, visible in the video, appeared focused on crowd control rather than wardrobe malfunctions, fueling speculation of intentional edginess. Compared to peers—Ortega in sleek black separates or Klum in metallic sheaths—Smith’s choice stood out as performative. Netizens zeroed in on the adjustment moment, looping it endlessly: “Hold it together, literally,” one quip read. This scrutiny extends to hygiene concerns, with some decrying the exposure as inconsiderate amid post-pandemic sensitivities.
Ultimately, the outfit’s symbolism—red for Louboutin passion, denim for casual rebellion—clashes with execution. Jaden Smith’s camp has yet to comment, but insiders suggest it’s par for his course: experimental, unfiltered, and unapologetic. Whether this cements his icon status or erodes it remains the week’s lingering question.
Public Reaction: From Trolling to Broader Debates
The torrent of responses to Jaden Smith’s appearance reveals deeper societal fault lines. On X, the video sparked over 50,000 interactions within hours, with trolling peaking around phrases like “red-faced embarrassment.” Comparisons to Will Smith dominated, with users lamenting a “fall from grace” since Jaden’s child-star days in “The Pursuit of Happyness.” One thread amassed 10,000 likes debating nepotism: “Louboutin picks talent, not trust funds,” a defender countered, but the chorus of doubt drowned it out.
Instagram amplified the vitriol, where Jaden Smith’s selfie post drew 1.2 million likes but thousands of mocking comments. “From Batman to this?” referenced his “Gotham” role, blending career digs with style slams. TikTok edits set the clip to comedic soundtracks, pushing views into the millions and spawning memes like “Jaden’s pants: 0, gravity: 1.” Women in fashion forums expressed frustration, viewing the exposure as reinforcing male gaze tropes in an industry striving for inclusivity.
Yet, pockets of support emerged, particularly from younger demographics. Gen Z influencers hailed it as “raw authenticity,” tying it to Jaden Smith’s environmental activism and music like his 2023 album “Elysium.” Vogue alumni recalled his 2022 Paris shapeshifting—Thom Browne suits to LV skirts—as prescient, arguing the backlash stems from discomfort with fluidity. Still, the visible underwear tipped scales; polls on X showed 72% deeming it “inappropriate” for Fashion Week.
This reaction wave extends to Louboutin’s brand image. Shares questioning the appointment surged 300%, with some boycotting calls over “celebrity over competence.” The house’s football-themed show, attended by A-listers, was overshadowed, shifting focus from innovative soles to street-side slips. As one analyst noted, “Fashion Week forgives bold, but not bungled.”
Implications for Fashion and Celebrity Culture
Jaden Smith’s misstep carries weighty repercussions for his burgeoning career. As Louboutin’s men’s director, his January 2026 debut now faces heightened expectations—and skepticism. The role, a 15-year evolution from the brand’s men’s launch, was meant to court younger buyers, but this incident risks alienating them. Louboutin emphasized Smith’s narrative skills in the announcement, yet public perception now hinges on optics over output.
Broader implications ripple through celebrity fashion. Paris Fashion Week 2025, already rife with debates over sustainability and diversity, now grapples with excess. Jaden Smith’s history—Met Gala tailoring in May 2025, Grammy headpieces in February—positions him as a disruptor, but consistency eludes. Industry voices like WWD suggest this could refine his edge, forcing tighter curation.
For celebrity culture, it spotlights accountability. In an era of viral scrutiny, unscripted moments like this amplify flaws, turning icons into punchlines. Jaden Smith’s silence thus far may be strategic, allowing buzz to build toward his collection. If history holds, as with his LV campaigns, redemption lies in delivery. For now, the backlash underscores a truth: in fashion’s glare, every slip shows.