From Air Jordans to Louboutins, designer shoes are a staple in any fashionista’s wardrobe. Worth at least three figures, they are visually stunning engineering marvels, rounding off any outfit to perfection.
What's The Most Expensive Shoe in The World
Designer shoes also offer the experience of possessing something unparalleled in quality, style and vision. As luxury shoes have taken on the role of status symbols, creators have not held back – from gold to precious stones and meteorites, some of the world’s most lavishly made shoes will set you back millions of dollars. Read on to discover the world’s most expensive shoes.
1. Moonstar Shoes by Antonio Vietri: $19.9 Million
The Moonstar Heels by Antonio Vietri is a tribute to Dubai, a city renowned for its futuristic vision and glamour. The designer, Antonio Vietri, is known for making outlandishly expensive shoes and is driven to create the unimaginable.
Each heel, made with white gold, is engineered to resemble the Burj Khalifa. The straps are strings of 30-carat diamonds. Its signature feature, however, is hidden in plain sight – a meteorite found in Argentina in 1576 was also incorporated into the design, making it one of the world’s most unique shoes.
These shoes were unveiled in 2019, when they headlined the MIDE (Made In Italy, Designed in Emirates) Fashion Week in Dubai.
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2. Jada Dubai and Passion Jewellers ‘Passion Diamond Shoes’: $17.7 Million
Jada Dubai and Passion Jewellers collaborated on creating an awe-inspiring statement piece – the ‘Passion Diamond’ shoes. The Passion Diamond Shoes are made of gold and are ingeniously constructed to create a razor-sharp tip. Each shoe is adorned with a 15-carat D-flawless diamond, besides being rimmed with smaller diamonds. Not a single fragment of this shoe is ordinary – even the in-sole inscriptions are made with gold.
It took nine months to create this shimmering pair. It is currently on display at the Burj-al Arab hotel.
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3. Debbie Wingham Heels: $15.1 Million
Debbie Wingham collaborated with designer Chris Campbell to make these shoes for an unidentified private client. Deceptively simple, the shoes are skillfully made with platinum and ornamented with 24-carat gold paint. They also feature rare family jewels, such as two 3-carat pink diamonds and two 1-carat blue diamonds which are sewn in with 24-carat gold wire.
Wingham is notorious for her extravagant creations, which include the world’s most expensive black dress (which is worth $4.6 million) and the world’s most expensive cake (which is worth $64.2 million). These heels took over 100 hours to make. They were launched at the Dubai Raffles Hotel Tea Time event, a high-end fashion exhibition.
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4. Stuart Weitzman Rita Hayworth Heels: $3 Million
This pair is luxury designer Stuart Weitzman’s most expensive design, inspired by the iconic earrings worn by silver screen star, Rita Hayworth. These heels are crafted with rust-coloured satin. A ruffle at the toe holds rubies, sapphires and diamonds, making its lavishness an understated beauty. The shoes now belong to Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Rita Hayworth's.
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5. House of Harry Winston Ruby Slippers: $3 Million
These shoes are a tribute to the Wizard of Oz, a Hollywood film inspired by a children’ss’ fantasy novel. It was released in 1989, on the 50th anniversary of the film’s release. These slippers are a replica of Dorothy's – the protagonist’s – iconic ruby red shoes.
The shoes in the film were made with red sequins. The House of Harry Winston elevated it to a staggering level – it features 1,350-carats of rubies and 50-carats of diamonds. 4600 ruby stones were skillfully hand-sewn onto the shoes.
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6. Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Finals Sneakers: $2.2 Million
In 1998, Michael Jordan donned his black and red Air Jordan 13s and made history by leading the Chicago Bulls to victory. It was his final season with the Bulls, which is often referred to as ‘The Last Dance’. He had announced his second retirement a few weeks before the finals, leading the game to be the most-watched in NBA history.
His victory shoes were sold at a Sotheby’s auction in New York in 2023.
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7. Stuart Weitzman Cinderella Slippers: $2 Million
These shoes were made for Cinderella’s Broadway production. Wieitzman stated, “What is every girl's first memory of shoes? Cinderella's glass slipper. Something as simple and accessible as a beautiful shoe can make a woman feel like a princess.
Wietzman certainly crafted a shoe perfect for a princess. Made with vinyl to resemble glass, an ethereal glimmer was added with over 5000 encrusted Swarovski crystals set in platinum. The right shoe features a 5-carat amaretto diamond, which alone is worth $5 million.
Inspired by the Broadway glass slipper project, Weitzman released his “Clearly Timeless” capsule collection, featuring a glass slipper inspired pump. Created with vinyl, lucite and Swarovski crystals, Weitzman aimed at capturing the fairytale’s magic in his design.
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8. Jason of Beverly Hills x Tom Ford Loafers: $2 Million
Hollywood actor Nick Cannon had approached jeweller Jason Arabeshen with a proposal to collaborate and make the world's most expensive shoe. This led to the creation of diamond-studded loafers which Cannon wore to the finale of America’s Got Talent in 2014. It took four months to source the diamonds for the shoes. Moreover, several designer shoes were experimented with and ruined in the quest for finding a strong foundation for the diamonds. Finally, a pair of Tom Ford slip-ons were chosen.
More than 14,000 diamonds (340-carats) were hand sewn into the loafers. Workers clocked in almost 2000 hours to complete the shoes. In 2021, Cannon stated that he intends on auctioning his diamond loafers for charity.
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9. Solid Gold OVO x Air Jordans: $2 Million
These shoes embody ostentatious wealth at a glance, given that they are fully made of gold. Crafted by American artist Mattew Senna, these shoes are 50 pounds heavy and wrapped in 24-carats of pure gold. According to some sources, these shoes weigh 100 pounds. This glimmering pair of sneakers was the shared vision of hip-hop artist Drake and Nike. The statement piece was unveiled by the musician on his Instagram account in 2016.
These shoes are made of solid gold, rendering them unwearable. It is a sculpture which stands as a testament to Drake’s unhindered ambition in the music and streetwear industry.
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10. Stuart Weitzman's Marilyn Monroe: $1 Million
These understated beauties are a tribute to the iconic Hollywood actress, Marilyn Munroe. The leather heels are clad in champagne-coloured satin. Each stiletto features a bow that holds a cluster of Swarovski crystals. These crystals are from a pair of earrings owned by the late actress.
These heels were worn by actress Regina King at the Academy Awards in 2005. After the ceremony, Weitzman replaced the crystals with replicas before giving them to the ‘Celebrity Rags 4 Charity Riches’ auction.
Shoes which have gained global fame for their exorbitant price tag may adorn someone’s feet for a few red carpet events. Truly one of a kind, they normally remain untouched, ensconced in a closet as a prized possession, their net worth steadily rising. If the pleasures of owning something utterly unique sounds enticing, explore the world of luxury shoes to discover your pair.
