Luxurious and unique: the 14 most expensive pairs of shoes in the world
Our review shows that the modern world of jewelry is not limited only to the usual jewelry necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc. Even such an everyday thing at first glance as shoes can be a real work of art. The shoe was invented by man to protect the feet from cold and damage, as well as to make walking more comfortable. Archaeologists believe that its first similarities appeared 28-30 thousand years ago. Of course, at the initial stage, people did not think about the beauty of their shoes. However, over time, shoes began to be made in a more correct form, taking into account aesthetic qualities. Convenience and quality of performance also played an important role.
The 20th century is considered to be a breakthrough in the shoe industry. A very large assortment of models and manufacturers has appeared. In addition to natural materials, artificial raw materials began to be used in the production. This made it possible to produce cheap models available for mass purchase. And expensive high-quality shoes made from natural materials have become a sign of status and material well-being.
For the sake of their desire to get special shoes, emphasizing their high position in society, some people are able to shell out a fortune. Such pairs are adorned with precious stones and metals and are therefore very expensive.
Of course, the shoes presented in the ranking are not intended for everyday use. These are luxury items that are rarely worn and for a special occasion, or not worn at all, but admire them as a museum exhibit.
We present to your attention a selection of the most expensive pairs of shoes in the world.
The boots of Nizam Sikandar Jah open the rating.
He was the third ruler of the state of Hyderabad in India. Sikandara Jha was distinguished by his love for luxurious things. Therefore, the kingdom was in ruin during the years of his reign. Loans also increased.
Slippers, which have been made for a long time, became one of these luxury items. Outwardly, they look like shoes from the fairy tale about Aladdin with curved noses. R
ubies, diamonds and other rare precious stones, which adorn shoes in abundance, give a high value. The finishing of the slippers was very complicated. They are decorated with a delicate pattern of gold thread.
After the death of Nizam Sikandar Jah, these shoes were included in the transfer of the throne. Each subsequent ruler received not only the throne, but also slippers a symbol of royal power. In 1999, the shoes were donated to the Bata Shoe Museum. They are valued at 160,000.
13 KATHRYN WILSON DIAMOND SHOE
The next line of the rating is occupied by white diamond-studded shoes by Katherine Wilson. The designer is originally from New Zealand. Inspired by the tale of Cinderella, she created a luxurious alternative to the main character’s crystal shoes.
These wonderful Cinderella shoes were sold at a charity auction for 420,000.
12 RETRO ROSE PUMPS BY STUART WEITZMAN
At the 12th place is the graceful gold sandals from the famous brand Stuart Weitzman. The pair was created in 1940s style. It is no coincidence that Stuart Weitzman is called a shoemaker-jeweler. After all, some of his shoes are a real decoration, a jewel at the feet of their owner.
The shoes have a branded T-strap and beautiful roses on the toes. They are the ones that are of the greatest value, because the flowers are decorated with 1,800 diamonds with a total weight of 100 carats. There are decorations on sandals in general. Another 400 diamonds complete the luxurious look of the shoes.
Interestingly, one scandalous story was associated with this pair of sandals. In 2008, screenwriter Diablo Cody quite sharply refused to cooperate with the famous creator of shoes, since they did not seem so valuable to her at first glance. Although the cost of this pair is 1 million.
11 RUBY STILETTOS BY STUART WEITZMAN
The 11th line of the rating is occupied by another work of the eminent Stuart Weitzman. He created this pair of red sandals inspired by the fairy tale “The Wizard of Oz”, where the girl Dorothy had sparkling shoes of the same color, which have magical properties.
Stuart Weitzman’s stiletto heels are adorned with 642 beautiful Burmese rubies, oval and round. They are fastened in graceful thin satin straps. The shoes were created back in 2002. And during this time they have never been dressed.
The cost of the sandals is 1 million.
10 PLATINUM GUILD STILETTOS BY STUART WEITZMAN
This is another job of a shoemaker-jeweler. Its cost is 1.09 million.
The stiletto heels have thin platinum T-straps. The color of the shoes is silver. They are set with 464 diamonds. This time a pair of sandals was made especially for the 2010 Oscars. It featured the actress Laura Harring, who starred in Mulholland Drive.
9 TANZANITE HEELS BY STUART WEITZMAN
The ninth line of our rating is taken by a pair of tanzanite sandals from the same famous brand Stuart Weitzman. It should be noted that these shoes were created in collaboration with another famous designer Eddie LeVian.
The straps of the sandals are adorned with diamonds and precious blue tanzanite stones. Their design resembles a rococo necklace. A 16-carat pendant hangs from the strap. Elegant and graceful sandals are made in silver color. Platinum-plated heels complete the look.
The cost of this luxurious piece of art is 2 million.
8 CINDERELLA SLIPPERS BY STUART WEITZMAN
In eighth place is another model from the VIP collection of Stuart Weizman. These are fabulous “shoes for Cinderella”. They are transparent, which gives the maximum resemblance to the crystal shoes of the main heroine of the fairy tale.
The shoes are classic pumps with a stiletto heel, which is also transparent. The shoe is adorned with 565 diamonds set in platinum. It is noteworthy that a 5-carat stone flaunts on the right shoe.
This diamond alone is worth 1 million, and the entire pair of shoes is worth 2 million.
7 SOLID GOLD OVO X AIR JORDANS
The seventh line of the rating is occupied by unique sneakers from the brand name Air Jordans. It was developed by Nike specifically for the famous basketball player Michael Jordan. This model was created by artist Matthew Senna.
The sneakers are made of solid gold. Moreover, they are molded in such a way that they copy the laces, the texture of the leather, as well as the silhouette of a basketball player from the side. Considering the material used to create the sneakers, the shoe has a decent weight about 45 kilograms.
The famous rapper Drake became the owner of a unique pair. He was the highest paid hip-hop performer in 2015 and could afford such luxurious sneakers. Therefore, they were made in 2016 especially for the singer.
The cost of the shoe is estimated at 2 million.
6 TOM FORD CUSTOMIZED BY JASON ARASHEBEN
In the sixth place among the most expensive pairs of shoes in the world are men’s boots from the famous luxury brand Tom Ford. To make these shoes, American fashion designer Tom Ford teamed up with jeweler Jason Arecheben.
Classic loafers are encrusted with over 14,000 diamonds. Their total weight is 340 carats. Each stone has a round shape, perfect cut. The diamonds are framed in white gold. Decorating shoes with so many stones is a very painstaking work. The actual production took about 2000 hours. And the time from the moment of ordering to the transfer to the client was about a year. Since it took about 4 months to collect the stones alone. Such luxurious loafers were ordered by the popular actor Nick Cannon. He wore shoes for the American Idol season 9 finale. The cost of the shoes was 2 million.
5 RUBY SLIPPERS BY RONALD WINSTON
The fifth line is occupied by red shoes from the designer-jeweler Ronald Winston. The author created them in 1989 in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the film “The Wizard of Oz”. In their design, they are exactly the same as Dorothy’s magic shoes.
The pair is decorated with 4600 rubies, with a total weight of 1350 carats, as well as diamonds, weighing 50 carats. For two months, master Javier Barerr fixed this luxury on his shoes. This couple has visited many exhibitions since 2000. But I haven’t found my buyer yet.
The cost of magic shoes from a fairy tale is 3 million.
4 RITA HAYWORTH HEELS
In fourth place in the ranking is another work by Stuart Weitzman. The earrings of 1940s Hollywood prima Rita Hayworth became the adornment of this pair’s socks.
Satin sandals are set with diamonds, sapphires and rubies. They give a high value to shoes of a rather modest design a classic cut with an open toe. The color of the shoes is interesting rusty. It was matched to the color of the dress of the singer Kathleen York. After all, it was for her appearance at the Oscars in 2006 that the shoes were made.
The real owner of sandals is the daughter of an eminent actress Princess Yasmin Aga Khan.
The shoes are valued at 3 million.
3 NIKE SHOES THROWN AT PRESIDENT BUSH
The top three are opened by a pair of shoes that got their value not from expensive materials and precious stones, but from the history associated with it. These are ordinary Nike sneakers that Iraqi correspondent Muntatar al Zaidi launched at President Bush.
This story happened on December 14, 2008 at a press conference in Baghdad. The correspondent of the Egyptian TV channel “Al-Baghdadia” suddenly got up from the third row and threw first one shoe, and then the other. In Arab culture, throwing shoes at a person is considered the strongest offense. However, the President of America said that he does not hold a grudge against this person.
Of course, this event turned out to be very resonant. The boots turned out to be a kind of symbol of the American occupation in Iraq. Of course, there are people who want to get themselves these scandalous sneakers. A resident of Saudi Arabia Asir Hasan Mahafa became the record holder among those who wish. He announced his readiness to purchase boots for 10 million. However, the deal did not materialize. The US intelligence agencies destroyed this pair of shoes.
2 DEBBIE WINGHAM HIGH HEELS
The second line of the rating is occupied by gold sandals from designer Debbie Williams. They were custom-made by a wealthy collector. Their cost is 15.45 million.
Stiletto sandals have a very unusual design and do not at all look like traditional shoes. Their sole and zippers are made of pure gold, and the leather is covered with 24-carat gold paint, the threads for stitching shoes were also used from this noble metal. In addition, there are also jewelry made from rare precious stones, which are part of the client’s private collection. These are blue and pink diamonds set in platinum.
1 JADA DUBAI PASSION JEWELERS PASSION DIAMOND SHOES
Classic pumps with a pointed toe on a stiletto are made of gold, also genuine leather and silk inserts were used in the manufacture. In addition, they are encrusted with several hundred diamonds. Two of them are especially large, fixed in the center of the toe. Each stone weighs 15 carats.
For the first time, these shoes were demonstrated at a private event attended by no more than 50 people. Today, the unique pair is on display in Dubai at the seven-star Burj Al Arab.
