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Christian Louboutin is trying to keep a tiny town near the coast of Portugal low-key, but as real estate developers open five-star resorts and sprawling golf clubs nearby, drawing A-listers and royalty, his effort might be in vain.
The French designer, 61, told Bloomberg that the rural village of Melides, nestled within the Alentejo region of Portugal, is grappling with an influx of tourism and the impacts of climate change.
Louboutin, who came across Melides over a decade ago, has a personal stake in the town with a population of around 1,500.
Not only does he own a home there, but in 2023, he opened a 13-room boutique hotel in Melides with plans to open a second.
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While stopping tourism completely isn't part of his mission, Louboutin is dedicated to preserving the Melides he first fell in love with.
"People are touched by authenticity and we need to keep it that way," Louboutin told Bloomberg. "Don't expect Melides to become like St. Tropez. It's not going to happen."
Representatives for Louboutin did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment.
But whether Louboutin likes it or not, the once-upon-a-time lowkey getaway is now squarely on the map — thanks in part to the development of a series of luxury resorts and private members clubs nearby.
Just a 15-minute drive from Melides lies Costa Terra, a 722-acre luxury resort community and gold club built by US real estate developer Discovery Land Company.
The company is headed up by Mike Meldman, who cofounded Casa Amigos with George Clooney.
The Telegraph reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the club last year. Since then, speculation has been rife that the couple, who are based in Montecito, California, bought a property within the gated community.
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The Sussexes aren't the only A-listers rumored to have bought into Costa Terra — reports have also associated George Clooney, Paris Hilton, and Sharon Stone with the development.
Representatives for Costa Terra did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Alongside Costa Terra, several other glitzy developments are cropping up near Melides, including a 175-house residential project under development by Vanguard Properties and one on the Tróia peninsula built by Inditex billionaire Amancio Ortega's daughter.
Vitor Paiva, a license partner at the Comporta branch of real estate agency Engel & Völkers, says the Portuguese government has set limits on touristic beds that prevent the area surrounding Melides from becoming as saturated with tourists as hot spots like St. Tropez or Monoco.
However, Paiva said the tourists that are now coming to the area are more affluent and "sophisticated" than those before, which means the small villages are changing from their rustic roots.
"New investors, customers coming, they ask for more modern services," he told BI. "They want to have the very good beach restaurants, luxury restaurants, high-quality services."
As a result, some locals in towns in the region are feeling priced out, Paiva said.
"Local restaurants are closing, even the small coffee shops for the locals, they are closing and being upgraded with more sophisticated coffee shops," he said. "In some cases, we are seeing the locals struggle."
In Melides, the idea of a rustic town remaining a secret oasis is slipping away.
But Louboutin isn't giving up on his aim to protect it.
He cofounded Intertidal Melides, a community-led organization rallying local landowners and business owners to preserve the local environment.
"Tourists come here for the beauty of this place," Louboutin told Bloomberg. "So we need to just keep it that way."
