Do you have a fetish for shoes? If the answer is yes, then this article is tailor, sorry, cobbler-made for you. Presenting, the ten most expensive pairs of shoes in the world! But before you read on, be careful not to get too attached to these beauties, for you need to be more than filthy rich to slip your feet into one of them! Eight out of the ten pairs on the list belong to the world-renowned footwear designer with a penchant for creating unaffordable shoes – Stuart Weitzman. Find out which shoes get the remaining two spots. It’s a close competition out there! Here are the top 10 most expensive shoes in the world:
10. Stuart Weitzman Diamond Dream Stilettos
It would be any woman’s dream come true to have her feet adorned with bright, beaming diamonds. Stuart Weitzman’s “Diamond Dream” stilettos, encrusted with one thousand four hundred and twenty gleaming diamonds are nothing short of a dream within a dream. Created in collaboration with jewellery giant Kwiat, the heels were worn by Anika Noni Rose during her appearance at the 2007 Academy Awards. The delicate bands contrasted elegantly with the sparkling white jewels artfully arranged around the ankle, creating an aura of such sublime magnificence that one could hardly stop staring at her feet that night!
Price tag: $ 500,000
9. Original Ruby Slippers from “The Wizard of Oz”
If you have watched The Wizard of Oz as a little child, you must have, at some point or the other, wished for Dorothy’s magic red shoes. Currently, there are only three pairs of Judy Garland’s famed ruby slippers from the 1940s classic which still exist One of them was auctioned at Christies to a private bidder for the gigantic sum of $612,000. Another was supposed to be sold at the Icons of Hollywood auction, but failed, owing to the whopping starting bid of two million dollars. The third pair of these sequined red beauties is currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of History. So if you can’t have them, you can at least have a look. If you ever happen to be in Washington D.C., don’t forget to take a dekko at these fabled shoes safely resting inside the Smithsonian’s!
Price tag: $612000
8. Stuart Weitzman’s “Retro Rose” Pumps
As the name suggests, Weitzman crafted these heels in accordance with the footwear styles of 1940s Hollywood, making use of the then-famous ‘T-strap’. A hundred carats of one thousand and eight hundred Kwiat diamonds were used to create the roses placed close to the toes while the shoes themselves are studded with four hundred more of these glimmering precious stones. However, these heels invited a fair share of controversy when Weitzman selected ‘Juno’ screenplay writer Diablo Cody to carry them off at the 2008 Oscars Red Carpet. Cody unceremoniously refused the offer, calling it a “cheesy publicity stunt”. Talk about attitude!
Price tag: $1,000,000
7. Stuart Weitzman’s “Marilyn Monroe” Shoes
If crystals are your poison, then these shoes are to die for! Glittering Swarovski crystals surrounded by elegant satin is just the most mundane way to describe Weitzman’s “Marilyn Monroe” heels. These gorgeous stilettos, products of intricate craftsmanship, exude pure opulence and exquisite beauty. And guess what, not only is this pair inspired by the iconic actress, the crystals adorning them are actually a pair of earrings that once belonged to her. The shoes were worn by Regina King at the 2005 Oscars where she was nominated for her role in ‘Ray’. After the awards, the Monroe earrings were replaced with replicas and the shoes were put up for auction. At the Celebrity Rags 4 Charity Riches auction, they fetched a whopping million bucks!.
6. Stuart Weitzman “Platinum Guild” Stilettos
Four hundred and sixty-four diamonds cut to perfect shapes went into the making of this pair of pencil heels. The wow factor is doubly increased by the fact that the precious gems can actually be removed and worn as hand and neck ornaments! In fact, the strap adorning the ankle exactly resembles an opulenty neckpiece with a dangling locket. It’s not just a pair of shoes, but a prized set of jewels as well. Mexican actress Laura Harring of “Mulholland Drive” fame was the first Oscar nominee to be able to wear a million dollar pair of shoes to the Academy Awards. What’s more, she was escorted to the venue by a special team of bodyguards to protect her along with her priceless platinum heels!
5. Stuart Weitzman’s “Ruby Slippers”
Stuart Weitzman’s Ruby Slippers
It’s obvious from the name of the shoes and the designer that this pair is inspired by “The Wizard of Oz”. Six hundred and forty two Burmese rubies and a pound of platinum complemented by delicate red satin were enough to ensure that this lovely pair made it to the ‘most expensive’ list! They were unveiled in late 2003 for display at Harrod’s in London. Considering all, it’s no wonder they come with a hefty price. The bold yet elegant sheen of the red surfaces coupled with the dazzling ruby ornamentation is more than enough to make this heels an eye-popping sight and award them a permanent place in every woman’s dream shoe list!
Price tag: $1,600,000
4. Stuart Weitzman’s “Tanzanite Heels”
When a footwear giant like Weitzman collaborates with one of the richest jewelry designers in the world, one can be sure to expect a creation crafted for fantasy. Designed by Weitzman in association with Eddie Le Vian of France, these bejeweled silver stilettos stand out in all their glory as an exquisitely crafted work of art. One hundred and eighty-five karats of sparkling blue tanzanite gemstones and twenty-eight karats of glimmering diamonds supported by a shining silver framework endow the shoes with such unmatched splendor that can possibly be surpassed only a priceless royal necklace of equal make. The pocket pinch? Don’t flinch, it’s two million only.
Price tag: $2,000,000
3. Stuart Weitzman’s “Cinderella Slippers”
If Weitzman was inspired by Dorothy’s magic red heels, how could he ignore Cinderella’s glass slippers which reunited her with the prince of her dreams? So when Weitzman decided to create a pair inspired by everyone’s favorite princess, he left no stone unturned to make certain that they looked straight out of a fantasy world. As a result, his “Cinderella Slippers” are incorporated with five hundred and sixty-five Kwiat diamonds elegantly fitted into Italian leather on platinum settings. The slippers were worn by singer Alison Krauss to the 2004 Oscars A mixture of transparency and solid glitter, the heels paid a dazzling tribute to the fabled glass slippers of Disney princess Cinderella.
Price tag: $2,000,000
2. Stuart Weitzman’s “Rita Hayworth” Heels
Inspired by yesteryears’ iconic movie star Rita Hayworth, this Weitzman and Le Vian creation use as it’s drool factor a pair of earrings owned by the Hollywood legend. The deep chocolate color is a refreshing change from the usual stark bright tones used in many Weitzman creations, and the folded satin flowers cradling the chunky earrings are a style statement in themselves! Kathryn York was the lucky woman to wear these peep-toes at the 2006 Academy Awards. Each leather shoe, adorned with a host of precious stones including sapphires, diamonds, rubies and diamonds is a representative of larger-than-life glamour and sheer style. The pair now belongs to Hayworth’s daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan.
Price tag: $3,000,000
1. House of Harry Winston’s “Ruby Slippers”
The fascination of footwear designers with “The Wizard of Oz” continues over decades. Celebrated jewelry designer Harry Winston’s son Robert in 1989 wished to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the classic movie in his own ostentatious fashion with a recreation of the hallowed “Ruby Slippers”. A painstaking two months was spent in carefully crafting a pair of shoes that out of four thousand and six hundred rubies and fifty karats of diamonds. After about sixty days, the opulent heels, glittering in all their glory, were unveiled at the House of Harry Winston, accompanied by a price tag of no less than three million- the most expensive shoes in the world!
Absolutely amazing. Really amazed to see this much can be the cost of any shoe.