High heels are tracked back to the 15th century when soldiers wore them to keep their feet secure in stirrups. The shoes’ heels would link behind the stirrup, holding riders in place on their horses.
Heels quickly got popular among male aristocrats as a way to look taller. In 1673, King Louis XIV declared that only the rich and powerful could wear heels. Red heels in particular became a sign of prestige.
The heel itself was a sign of wealth, while the red color was symbolic of crushing enemies underfoot.
By the 18th century, high heels were more common among wealthy women. But men still wore certain heel styles moving into the 19th century, including cowboy boots. By the 20th century, “Cuban heels” were popularized by celebrities like The Beatles.
This style features a short heel and pointed toe based on traditional Hispanic designs.
Modern heels have a huge price range — some even sell for millions of dollars.
Here’s our list of the most expensive heels in the world!
8. Kathryn Wilson Diamond Heels
Design Year: Unreported
Unique Feature: Real diamonds
Heel Fact: These heels took more than 50 hours to produce
photo source: dailymail.co.uk
Kicking off our list are these diamond high heels by Kathryn Wilson. The sparkling shoes are absolutely covered in a ton of stunning diamonds, making these some of the shiniest heels on this list.
Each diamond was carefully attached by hand using tweezers, and the whole process took over 50 hours to complete!
Kathryn Wilson called the process “incredibly time-consuming,” but she was pretty happy with the result: “The final product was well worth the sleep deprivation and pain.”
Interestingly, Wilson had to be protected by several security guards while working on and transporting these heels. Why? The pair is worth about $330,000 — an enticing target for thieves.
Did you know?
These heels were sold at an auction benefiting charity.
7. Stuart Weitzman Retro Rose Pumps
Design Year: Unreported
Unique Feature: 1,800 diamonds
Heel Fact: These heels were inspired by 1940s glamour
photo source: godlysoles.com
Coming in at number seven are these pumps by Stuart Weitzman. The design was inspired by 1940s Hollywood glamour — think shimmering dresses, pearls, and luxury furs. Each shoe features a ton of stunning diamonds (1,800 in total) and a classic T-strap for a vintage look.
The pair cost a whopping $1 million, making them the seventh most expensive heels in the world!
Interestingly, these heels stirred some drama in Hollywood. According to reports, Stuart Weitzman asked Diablo Cody to wear these pumps at the Oscars. The year was 2008, and Cody was up for Best Original Screenplay for her film “Juno.”
To some surprise, Cody rejected the offer. On the red carpet, Cody reportedly told interviewers that the shoes were a “cheesy publicity stunt.”
Cody also took to her Myspace account to criticize the million-dollar heels, saying “They’re using me to publicize their stupid shoes and NOBODY ASKED ME.”
Did you know?
Diablo Cody ended up winning the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 2008.
6. Stuart Weitzman Ruby Stilettos
Design Year: 2003
Unique Feature: Over 600 rubies
Heel Fact: These hells feature red satin straps
photo source: godlysoles.com
Up next is another pair by Stuart Weitzman. The ruby stilettos feature a whopping 642 rubies and luxurious red satin straps.
The design takes hints from Dorthy’s ruby slippers in “The Wizard of Oz,” but things take a high-fashion turn with those steep arches and shimmering stone details. All that luxury brings the price tag up to a hefty $1.6 million!
Stuart Weitzman has made pricey heels before, but the brand is typically focused on more wearable styles. As the company puts it, “Stuart Weitzman shoes are designed for high fashion and high function.”
Edmundo Castillo, the brand’s current designer, says he’s inspired by modern women. “With intentionally minimalist silhouettes combined with bold and sophisticated flourishes, my designs reflect the timeless and effortless elegance [the modern woman] exudes.”
Castillo was born in Puerto Rico and kicked off his design career working with Donna Karan. Next, Castillo joined Ralph Lauren before launching his own brand in 1999.
Castillo’s brand was very successful, with celebrities like Beyoncé wearing his creations.
Did you know?
The Stuart Weitzman brand was launched in 1986. Today, the company sells a wide range of high heels, sandals, boots, and more.
5. Jason of Beverly Hills Diamond Heels
Design Year: 2014
Unique Feature: 14,000 real diamonds
Heel Fact: These heels feature white gold
photo source: footwearnews.com
Coming in at number five are these eye-catching short-heel loafers. The design features 14,000 authentic white diamonds secured with white gold on a pair of pricey Tom Ford shoes. All those diamonds weigh a total of 340 carats.
A California-based designer called Jason of Beverly Hills created the heels and priced them at a steep $2 million!
Like a lot of pricey fashion, these shoes were worn by a celebrity. Nick Cannon sported the heeled kicks during the season finale of “America’s Got Talent” in 2014.
Did you know?
According to reports, these heels took more than 2,000 hours to produce.
4. House of Harry Winston Ruby Slippers
Design Year: 1989
Unique Feature: 4,600 rubies
Heel Fact: These heels feature 50 carats of real diamonds
photo source: wnemall.com
Up next is another pair of heels inspired by “The Wizard of Oz.”
Dorthy’s ruby slippers are probably the most famous shoes in film history. In 1989, the designers at the House of Harry Winston wanted to commemorate Dorthy’s iconic shoes with a pair of their own.
The original ruby slippers were made with red sequins, but that wasn’t good enough for Harry Winston. The commemorative version features 4,600 real rubies and 50 carats of diamonds.
The shimmering heels celebrated the 50th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz” and are worth $3 million!
Did you know?
The team at Harry Winston took about two months to make these ruby heels.
3. Wingham-Campbell Cake Heels
Design Year: 2017
Unique Feature: Real platinum details
Heel Fact: These heels feature a flower made of leather
photo source: godlysoles.com
In 2017, Debbie Wingham and Chris Campbell collaborated on these heels commissioned by a family in the United Arab Emirates as a birthday present.
The cake-inspired design features diamonds set in real platinum, leather painted with 24-carat gold, and golden zippers. Finally, each shoe is stitched together with golden thread.
In the end, this birthday present cost a jaw-dropping $15 million. Would you buy them?
Did you know?
Debbie Wingham is no stranger to pricey creations. The designer also created The Red Diamond Abaya, a piece of clothing featuring 2,000 rare stones. The Diamond Abaya is worth about $15.4 million, making it one of the most expensive pieces of clothing in the world.
2. The Passion Diamond Shoes
Design Year: 2018
Unique Feature: Hundreds of diamonds
Heel Fact: These heels feature real gold
photo source: footwearnews.com
At number two is this stunning pair of diamond-encrusted heels by Jada Dubai and Passion Jewelers. The 2018 design features real gold and diamonds and took a whopping nine months to produce.
The designers’ brand names are set in gold on the insoles, and each toe is topped with yet another shimmering stone!
Overall, these pricey pumps are worth about $17 million. The shoes made their debut in Dubai at the world’s first seven-star hotel. Would you wear them?
Did you know?
These heels feature about 240 real diamonds, including a bunch rated as D Flawless (which basically means they’re rare and very high-quality).
1. Antonio Vietri Moon Star Shoes
Design Year: 2019
Unique Feature: 30 carats of real diamonds
Heel Fact: These heels have solid gold heels
photo source: businessinsider.com
Antonio Vietri Moon Star Shoes are the most expensive heels in the world.
Here’s a question: what’s the best way to debut a pair of high heels featuring solid gold and real diamonds? If you’re designer Antonio Vietri, the answer is on a yacht in Dubai.
The “Moon Star Shoes” were introduced in 2019 as part of MIDE Fashion Week (Made in Italy, Designed in Emirates). Each heel is made of solid gold while a whopping 30 carats of diamonds sparkle along the front.
The stunning design is topped off with a touch of authentic meteorite from the 1500s!
Overall, Vietri priced his creation at a stunning $19.9 million. As the designer put it, “The most expensive shoes in the world are mine. And the record came to [the] city of Turin [Italy]. I love my city.”
Did you know?
Antonio Vietri is pretty familiar with pricey shoes. In 2017, the designer made a pair of golden slip-ons priced at about $30,000.
