Shoes. Unless we’re in a store to choose them, we don’t give them much thought on a daily basis. But they’re one of the most important items in our wardrobe today. Actually, not only today, but since the beginning of time. Well, almost.

The first known shoes are some sandals discovered in the Fort Rock Cave in Oregon, US, which date back to 7000 or 8000 BC, and the oldest known leather shoe was found in Armenia and it’s believed to date from 3500 BC.

So, shoes have always been there, because they have an important role, protecting our feet while we’re out there doing stuff. Wherever we go, we’ve got a pair. Or better said, whatever we do, we’ve got a pair of shoes. From the street to the office and from the basketball court to the highest mountains, there are lots of options depending on the activity we do.

But today, more than ever, there are shoes that don’t have a particular role other than making you look stylish and extravagant. They’re made out of the most expensive materials one can think of and adorned with all kinds of precious stones. They’re a statement of one’s status and wealth. And they don’t come cheap at all.

Here are the Top 11 Most Expensive Shoes in the World:

11. Stuart Weitzman’s Diamond Dream Stilettos – $500,000

Made by the renowned American shoe designer Stuart Weitzman, the Diamond Dream Stilettos are both glamorous and delicate. They were created for the actress Anika Noni Rose, to be worn during the 2007 Academy Awards.

The most important feature of the sandal style stilettos and the one that gives their price tag of $500,000 is the double band of diamond-encrusted circles at the top of the foot.

No less than 1420 diamonds of 30 carat have been used for this shiny creation that will leave you longing for them. Or for the legs wearing them.

10. Original Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz – $612,000

Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz are among the most valuable film memorabilia items nowadays. Quite a few pairs were made for the film, but the exact number is unknown. Out of all, three of them have survived until today.

One of the three known surviving pairs worn by Judy Garland while playing Dorothy was sold at an auction for a hefty $612,000.

It sounds a lot when you think about the fact that they were made out of inexpensive plain white silk.

9. Stuart Weitzman’s Marilyn Monroe Shoes – $1 million

These super expensive shoes were designed by Stuart Weitzman but the only connection they had with Marilyn Monroe was the Swarovski crystals embedded on the satin rose.

The crystals were in fact a pair of earrings that once belonged to Marilyn Monroe, hence the name of the shoes.

The shoes were worn by actress Regina King at the 2005 Oscars. After the event, the designer replaced the earrings with replicas and sold the pricy shoes at an auction for a good $1 million in profit.

8. Stuart Weitzman Retro Rose Pumps – $1 million

Since you might be wondering, designer Stuart Weitzman is the maker of the most expensive shoes in the world, so that’s why his name is dominating this list.

Beauty, elegance and a design belonging to the 1940’s characterize the Retro Rose Pumps crafted by the aforementioned designer. These high heels are adorned with a total of 2200 diamonds, most of them ingrained in the rose ornaments at the toes.

The shoes are worth an impressive $1 million right now.

7. Stuart Weitzman Platinum Guild Stilettos – $1.09 million

Crafted with great care and attention to detail from platinum fabric and decorated with 464 Kwiat diamonds by the ubiquious Stuart Weitzman, the Guild Stilettos were destined to be worn by the actress Laura Harring at the 2010 Academy Awards.

What’s interesting in the design is that the diamond straps are removable, so they can be worn as jewelry also. The price tag for these elegant shoes is $1.09 million.

6. Stuart Weitzman Ruby Slippers – $1.6 million

These Ruby Slippers are distinct and more sophisticated than what you’ve seen so far on the list. Inspired by the Wizard of Oz, they’re characterized by unadulterated elegance and designed with 642 Burmese rubies ingrained in the red satin delicate upper straps.

The cherry red insole and enchanting diamonds plus a little bit of platinum make these shoes an extraordinary appearance every time they’re showcased in an exhibition.

They’re priced at a whooping $1.6 million.

5. Stuart Weitzman Tanzanite Heels – $2 million

Another impressive model from the same famous designer is this pair of Tanzanite Heels, a collaboration between him and jewelry designer Eddie Le Van.

They’re made of silver leather, with an ankle strap which has several exquisite blue tanzanite gemstones ingrained in it and diamonds encrusted around, setting the value of these lavish shoes at a staggering $2 million.

Guess what? We’ve got even more pairs of shoes from Stuart Weitzman in this list!

4. Stuart Weitzman Cinderella Slippers – $2 million

The Cinderella Slippers are another marvelous creation of designer Stuart Weitzman, though not made of glass but of Italian leather.

The ankle and toe straps feature 565 Kwiat diamonds and the right slipper boasts a 5 carat amaretto diamond which by itself values over a million dollars.

Singer Alisson Krauss worn these amazing shoes at the 2004 Academy Awards. The price of this splendid pair of high heels is $2 million.

3. Stuart Weitzman Rita Hayworth Heels – $3 million

In making this stunning pair of expensive shoes, Stuart Weitzman got inspired from a piece of jewelry that belonged to the actress Rita Hayworth, an icon of the 1940’s film scene.

The open toed heels are made of sienna satin -a brown rust like color- and have sapphires, diamonds and rubies encrusted into them. The jewels, made of Swarovski Crystal, are only a replica of the original jewels worn by Rita.

The unique specially designed Oscar shoes now belong to Hayworth’s daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan and have a total worth of $3 million.

2. Harry Winston Ruby Slippers – $3 million

Ronald Winston, son of the famous jewelry designer Harry Winston, decided to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz by creating another, more lavish, pair of Ruby Slippers.

For that, he used 4600 rubies and 50 carat diamonds in a tedious process that took two months to complete. The result is a glittering pair of opulent shoes that cost no less than $3 million.

Until recently, these used to be the most expensive shoes in the world.

1. Debbie Wingham High Heels – $15.1 million

You thought that $3 million is too much for a pair of expensive shoes? Let us introduce Debbie Wingham’s High Heels.

Debbie Wingham is one of the most expensive designers in the world right now. And her pair of shoes feature some of the rarest gemstones, which account for the highest part of the cost. We’re talking about pink and blue diamonds encrusted in the shoes.

The diamonds are set in platinum with the plaque of the shoes made of gold. The rest of the shoes are leather painted with 24 carat gold and stitched with 18 carat gold thread.

An unknown customer asked Debbie to create this pair of mind blowing shoes to give it as a birthday present. A $15.1 million birthday present.

It seems that someone just got extremely lucky.

In the end, if you’re wondering which are the most expensive basketball shoes, we’ve got that covered as well.

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Last update: February 2018.