While it’s nothing new to splurge on footwear, the most expensive shoes in the world can cost millions.
Whether encrusted in precious stones or worn by an all-star athlete, these shoes go the extra mile when it comes to luxury footwear. In fact, some are even considered too valuable to be worn.
The most expensive shoes in the world are their own rightful category in the luxury market. Often sold off at auctions rather than at retailers, these shoes are much more than footwear. The most expensive shoes can be a slice of history or even require a safe to be stored in.
Below, we’ve rounded up the most expensive shoes in the world. Check out what decadent pairs make the cut on our list.
A pair of Air Jordans that are valued for more than $104,000 top our list of Most Expensive Shoes at No. 16. The sneakers once belonged to former Chicago Bulls player Michael Jordan. The all-star basketball player wore the shoes during the famous “Flu Game,” where he played for the Chicago team while sick during the fifth game of the 1997 NBA Playoffs. Jordan scored 38 points throughout the game while feeling ill. The Bulls ultimately became champions that year, adding to their winning streak of six playoffs within the 1991-1998 seasons.
Jordan’s shoes were auctioned off in 2013 by former Utah Jazz player Preston Truman. ESPN reported that the “Flu Game” Jordans set a new record for the highest-priced athletic shoe ever sold. The red and black sneaker also features an autograph by Jordan himself.
The next on our list of Most Expensive Shoes are a pair of heels made by New Zealand-based shoe designer Kathryn Wilson. Her customized pumps pack a lot of bling. The shoes have 21.8 carats worth of diamonds and were sold back in 2013 at an event the designer held for $418,450. Wilson collaborated with Sarah Hutchings of Orsini Fine Jewellery to make the out-of-this-world pumps. All the proceeds from the event were donated to the Ronald McDonald House charity.
Wilson tediously sketched in pencil the placements of the diamonds on the pump. She then positioned each stone by hand with a pair of tweezers and a special adhesive, tallying up over 50 hours of work on the shoes.
While hard at work, Wilson had a high-security team by her side. “I had two security guards in cars follow me at all times when I was transporting the diamonds and shoe,” she told The Daily Mail. “It was quite exciting, like being in a James Bond movie.” (Guess we won’t be seeing these shoes out and about anytime soon.)
A pair of Nike Air Jordan 1s worn and signed by Michael Jordan were reported to be the most expensive sneakers to be sold at an auction, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The shoes were game-worn by Michael Jordan in 1985 after being made exclusively for him.
The No. 13 Most Expensive Shoe on FN’s list was expected to rake in $100,000 to $150,000 at the Sotheby’s auction held on May 2020. In the final twenty minutes of the sale, the bidding was increased by $300,000, in the end resulting to the a record-breaking amount.
One interesting fact about this pair of most expensive shoes in that the sneakers are mismatched. The left is a size 13 and the right is a 13.5. This sizing is allegedly preferred by Michael Jordan when playing on the court.
A pair of ruby slippers might come to mind when thinking about the most expensive shoes in the world. Although there are several known pairs of the iconic slipper, this pair of ruby reds worn by actress Judy Garland in the 1939 film, “The Wizard of Oz,” were sold at an auction for $660,000 in 2000. The original owner won them at the mere age of 16 as a second-place prize for the National Four Star Club’s “Name the Ten Best Movies of 1939” contest. The size 6 shoe later sold to David Elkouby, a memorabilia collector based in Hollywood.
Some of the slippers are still circulating. Classic Hollywood actress Debbie Reynolds also once owned a pair of the simple sequin slippers. Another match is currently on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. There was even a pair of ruby red slippers that went missing. In 2005, the pair disappeared from the Judy Garland Museum in the actress’ hometown of Grand Rapids, Minn. The shoes have since found their way home.
Stuart Weitzman heels have become a staple for red carpets in recent years and several rank in FN’s list of Most Expensive Shoes. The luxury designer brand has a few pairs valued at up to $1 million, including these Marilyn Monroe-inspired heels. But the elegant shoes weren’t actually worn by the actress herself. At each center of the shoe is a cluster of Swarovski crystals that were once earrings that belonged to Ms. Monroe.
Regina King rocked the champagne-colored shoe at the 2005 Oscars when she was nominated for her role in “Ray.” After the ceremony, Weitzman allegedly replaced the original crystals with replicas and gave the pair to the Celebrity Rags 4 Charity Riches auction. It was there that the shoes sold for $1 million, marking the pair as the 11th on FN’s list of Most Expensive Shoes.
These vintage-inspired slippers pay homage to 1940s glamour complete with a classic T-strap (a signature style of shoe at the time). The 10th pair of Most Expensive Shoes feature roses worth 100 carats of 1,800 Kwiat diamonds. In addition, the pair has 400 more Kwiat diamonds that embellish the shoe throughout.
The shoes also pack some drama, quite literally. When Stuart Weitzman selected screenwriter Diablo Cody to wear the shoes back in 2008 for Oscar Awards, she refused to wear the million-dollar shoes. Cody, who was nominated and won best original screenplay for her movie “Juno” told reporters on the red carpet that she thought “it was a cheesy publicity stunt.”
You may recognize the fifth Most Expensive Shoe on FN’s list. These diamond-covered loafers were worn by Nick Cannon on the 2014 season finale of “America’s Got Talent.” The smoking slippers were custom-made and commissioned for the TV host by Jason of Beverly Hills, an L.A.-based jeweler. With more than 14,000 full-cut round diamonds on the shoe, this pair has a total weight of 340 carats. The diamonds were also placed in white gold on a Tom Ford sole. The shoes were reported to have taken over 2,000 hours of labor to complete.
Cannon donated the $2 million shoes to charity later that year. The luxury loafers were under review by the Guinness Book of World Records for the title of Most Expensive Shoes in the World, but they only take fifth place on our list.
British designer Debbie Wingham unveiled these ultra-luxe stilettos in 2017. The second pair of most expensive shoes were commissioned by an unnamed family in Dubai, U.A.E, for a birthday and is meant to resemble a cake. Her creation was a collaboration between herself and Chris Campbell, a contemporary artist based in Florida. The heels are loaded with precious gems including three-carat rare pink diamonds and one-carat blue diamonds, which alone cost over $128,000.
In addition, there are four three-carat diamonds and 1,000 pointer diamonds set in platinum framing. The pair also features gold soles and zippers, as well as 24 karat gold paint on the leather. The stitching was done with an 18 karat gold thread and features a gold thread inlay. The shoes were finished off with a rose gold accent and a leather Iranian jasmine flower at the center of the shoe.
These $15.1 million shoes were part of the designer’s “most expensive collection.” Wingham also has credit for crafting a $15.45 million diamond and ruby-encrusted dress. In addition, she owns a baking company, Couture to Cakes, which made a $64 million diamond-encrusted cake for a client.
This decadent heel ranks as the most expensive shoe in the world at $17 million. The Passion Diamond Shoe was created by the United Arab Emirates-based brand Jada Dubai in partnership with Passion Jewelers in 2018. These golden pumps are covered in hundreds of diamonds and made from real gold. The pair is equivalent to the value of 23,448 pairs of Christian Louboutin’s So Kate pumps.
The most expensive shoes have two 15-carat diamonds on the upper, and all of the diamonds on the shoes are incredibly rare D flawless diamonds. The stiletto was part of an extensive collection of bejeweled footwear, which also includes a pair of $25,000 shoes. The Passion Diamond Shoe was unveiled and displayed at the world’s only seven-star hotel, Burj Al Arab, in Dubai. The pair is a prototype of 36 EU standard-sized heels, but are made to order in the size requested by the lucky buyer.
Copyright © 2020. GUANGZHOU JK COLLECTION LIMITED
All rights reserved
Scan & Look
Shop our products and offers on-the-go.
Write us awesome emails
to get help or latest offers: