The World’s Most Expensive Shoes

The most expensive shoes in the world can cost more than your house, and there are a lot of reasons why people are willing to pay so much for them.

“Good shoes will take you to good places” —Seo Min Hyun

We all know the powerful feeling that a pair of shoes can evoke. The right pair can make you feel like you can take on the world and win!

When it comes to how much to spend on a pair of shoes, it can be difficult to put a price on that feeling. But when we consider the history, craftsmanship, and brand identity of some shoes, it’s easy to see why we might end up with some hefty price tags.

We’ve put together a collection of some of the world’s most expensive shoes that have earned themselves a reputation for really being something special. Some of them are the equivalent of a fancy home or car or both!

Red Christian Louboutin Charity Boots

If you’re going to sell shoes for a pretty penny you may as well make them for a good cause. This is the premise behind Christian Louboutin’s spiky red boots that go for a snip at $50,000 a pair. The rubberised red boots with a spiky texture were designed as part of a charity campaign to raise funds for charities that fight malaria, Aids and TB and stars like Nicki Minaj have happily forked over the cash for a pair.

These boots were inspired by retro Parisian streetwear and are iconic in every way, including their price tag. However, when compared to the other shoes on our list, they’re actually quite cheap!

Harry Winston Ruby Slippers 

These amazing shoes were made for the 50th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz. These slippers, based on the ruby slippers worn by Dorothy Gale in the movie, are the ultimate luxury. They are crafted from 1,350 carats of rubies and 50 carats of diamonds and the shoes took 2 months to make. 

The Harry Winston Ruby Slippers cost a whopping $3 million. Dorothy surely could have clicked her heels and gone absolutely anywhere in those ruby slippers. 

Solid Gold OVO x Air Jordan

The most expensive pair of sneakers in the world at the moment is the Solid Gold OVO x Air Jordan. It broke records at Sotheby’s, achieving a $1.8 million bid, officially making it the most expensive sneaker sale ever. They are dipped in 24k gold and the owner of these sneakers is Drake. 

Moon Star Shoes by Antonio Vietri 

How would you feel about spending $19.9 million on a pair of shoes? The Moon Star shoes by Antonio Vietri were made in 2019 and cost that much. The heels are made from solid gold, with 30 carats of diamond and they feature a meteorite from 1576 that landed in Argentina. They made their debut as the most expensive shoes ever made. 

Marilyn Monroe by Stuart Weitzman

You’ll see this name further down the list too as Mr Weitzman has a passion for creating fantastic footwear with eye-wateringly expensive prices to match. And for good reason. 

These one-of-a-kind nude heels are named after the famous Hollywood starlet because they feature Swarovski crystals that were originally in Marilyn Monroe’s earrings. The crystals nestle in the rose that adorns the toe straps of the shoe and perfectly complement the elegant wrap-around ankle straps that cross in front. Simple yet steeped in old-school film lore, these shoes are pretty and pricey.

Rita Hayworth by Stuart Weitzman

Also designed by Stuart Weitzman, the Rita Hayworth heels are the most expensive shoes this maestro of footwear has ever sold. For now, anyway.

A vintage open-toe style with a creamy rust hue, these heels are adorned with diamonds, rubies and sapphires that make up the centre of a rather understated elegant petal arrangement over the toes. Understated they may be, but their $3 million price tag really makes a statement.

Balenciaga Paris Sneaker

High-end brand Balenciaga launched a limited collection called the Paris sneaker and these shoes look like they have been worn for centuries and are very much ready for the bin. The high-top and backless mule versions of the shoe retail for between $625 to $1850. Just when you thought the high-heeled Croc was the most outrageous thing that Balenciaga created, the Paris sneaker arrived. 

Kathryn Wilson Diamond Shoe

These beautiful power heels were made in New Zealand by designer Kathryn Wilson. The shoes have 21.8 carats of diamonds and the shoes were sold in 2013 for $418,450. Each diamond was added by hand and it took about 50 hours to create the magnificent shoes. Move over Cinderella! These shoes have more than 2000 diamonds and were actually auctioned off to raise money for a children’s charity. 

Stuart Weitzman Tanzanite Heel

The Tanzanite heel is definitely one you would find on any list of the most expensive shoes. It’s valued at $2 million and was the brainchild and creative collaboration with Eddie Le Vian of Le Vian Jewelry. The straps of the shoes are made up of 185 carats of tanzanite and a further 28 carats of diamonds. That’s just the shoe straps. When you move on to the heel, it’s 4.5 inches of 595 carats of diamonds that are set in platinum.

Passion Diamond Shoe

The name of the shoe alone tells you about this $17 million pair of shoes. The Passion Diamond Shoe is the creation of UAE-based brand Jada Dubai, together with Passion Jewelers and they were crafted in 2018. The golden pumps feature hundreds of diamonds and are also made from real gold. Part of the appeal (and expense of these gorgeous heels) is that they boast two 15-carat diamonds on the upper part of the shoe. Every single one of the diamonds on the shoe is very rare and absolutely flawless. 

Footwear That’s An Artwork

“The right shoe can make everything different.”—Jimmy Choo

Finding the perfect pair of shoes or just adding a new pair to your collection is one of the greatest joys in life. As we’ve seen, shoes are more than just something to cover your feet. They’re also investment pieces, pure art, and a talking point across history. People have broken the bank in the name of that perfect pair of Louis Vuitton, Christian Louboutin, or Manolo Blahnik shoes. 

Here’s to the shoe creators who think outside the box and keep us on our toes…literally.