Christian Louboutin is selling US$50 nail polish on the strength of his high fashion image. The ad had to be outré.

There are thousands of red nail polishes. But only one that matches the red soles of Christian Louboutin’s shoes, which by the way, he was able to trademark in 2012. It turns out that the Louboutin red sole was inspired by the nail lacquer of one of his assistants was wearing in 1993. True or not, it’s a memorable brand story fashionistas will love to retell.

There is no rational reason for buying a $50 nail polish that is going to be indistinguishable from any other nail polish on your fingernails. So really, the less sense the ad makes the better.

And that explains this ad.

The film was directed by David Lynch, who has crafted his image by creating surreal stories with violent or sexual elements.

In 2007, he and Louboutin got together to create Fetish, an exhibition of Lynch’s photographs that used Louboutin’s shoes as erotic sculptural objects.

And in 2012, the pair got together with hip hop artist, Swizz Beat, to create a show called Feu at Le Crazy Horse de Paris cabaret.

Louboutin’s 2014 shoe collection was introduced with a calendar showing dismembered legs in gift boxes.