The list of most expensive shoes in the world is changing rapidly. Designers and jewelers are busy collaborating, creating multi-million dollar pieces of art for your feet.
Sales of vintage game-worn sneakers from sports history’s greatest moments have been soaring. We’ve come a long way in the art and science of footwear. Style, quality, and exclusive design go into the most expensive shoes, breaking auction records with every year.
The appreciation for shoe greatness has never been higher.
Most Expensive Shoes of All Time
There’s such a wide variety in the list of world’s most expensive shoes. From sneakers to slippers to heels, boots, and sandals, the wide world of footwear is gigantic.
There are a few shoes you should be aware of if you ever come across them in a consignment shop. And they are not just trendy, luxurious, or fashionable kicks, they are worth millions.
Don’t pass up a chance to grab a pair of these most expensive shoes in the world. Or at least notice them as a stranger walks by with them on their feet.
The Very First Shoe
The earliest shoes date back to sometime between 7000 and 8000 BC. A pair of sagebrush bark sandals were uncovered in 1938 in the Fort Rock Cave in Oregon.
The sandals were in excellent condition, given the fact that they were so old. Although they lacked heel cushion and torsional rigidity, I’m guessing. These sandals are locked in a museum, and won’t see the auction block anytime soon.
Top 10 Most Expensive Shoes Ever Sold
#1 Moon Star Shoes By Antonio Vietri, $20 million
Built from solid pure gold and 30 carats of diamonds, the Moon Star Shoe has all the typical bling you would expect from one of the most expensive shoes ever created.
Designed by Italian shoe architect Antonio Vietri, the opulent, sophisticated, and amazing shoes were unveiled in Dubai as part of the Made in Italy Fashion Week.
There’s one additional feature that other expensive shoes don’t have. Included on the Moon Star Shoe is a piece of meteorite discovered in 1576 near Argentina.
#2 Passion Diamond Stilettos, $17 million
One of the most expensive shoes ever made is the Passion Diamond Stilettos, worth an estimated $17 million.
A partnership between the United Arab Emirates-based shoe brand Jada Dubai and Passion Jewelers created this amazingly expensive, lavish, opulent, and valuable combination of diamonds in 2018.
The stilettos feature two huge 15-carat diamonds on the shoe’s upper portion, both ultra-rare D flawless. In fact, every one of the 236 diamonds is rated Flawless D, not just the two largest stones.
After nearly nine months of crafting the Passion Diamond shoe in Italy with other features, including leather, silk, and gold, the shoes were sent to Dubai.
The shoes were unveiled at the world’s only seven-star hotel, the Burj Al Arab, in Dubai.
#3 Debbie Wingham Stilettos, $15 Million
After hundreds of hours of work and amazing craftsmanship, British designer Debbie Wingham created a pair of extravagant shoes valued at over $15 million.
Featured on the shoes are a pair of rare 3-carat pink diamonds and 1-carat blue diamonds with four flawless three-carat white diamonds.
These Debbie Wingham high heels are the latest luxury shoes from the famous designer. But in recent years, she’s also produced some of the most expensive dresses in the world valued in the tens of millions.
#4 Harry Winston Ruby Slippers, $3 million
A recreation of Dorthy’s Wizard of Oz slippers is valued at $3 million, one of the most expensive shoes ever.
Even though the original slipper worn by Judy Garland is still held in pristine condition in a private collection, they are not worth more than the Harry Winston ruby slipper remakes.
What makes the House of Harry Winston slippers worth millions is mainly found in the encrustment of 4,600 gemstones.
The original slippers worn in the movie had nothing of the sort. Precious stones with a total of 1,350 carats helped boost the value of these shoes to the $3 million price tag.
#5 Harry Winston 50th Anniversary Shoes from The Wizard of Oz, $3 million
Using 1,500 carats of rubies and 25 carats of diamonds, jeweler Harry Winston created a pair of slippers from The Wizard of Oz in honor of the movie’s 50th Anniversary valued at $2 million.
The original red ruby slippers worn by Dorothy during the filming of the movie are equally valuable. In 2012, a pair was sold at auction for $2 million.
MGM created seven pairs of slippers for the movie, but only four are known to still exist. Not only that but after a pair was stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota, the FBI recovered them after twelve years.
#6 Weitzman Rita Hayworth Heels, $3 million
The Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth has a pair of $3 million heels in her tribute. Namely because her earrings are at the center of each shoe.
Stuart Weitzman used a pair of Hayworth earrings, not to mention rubies, diamonds, sapphires, and amazing gemstones, to design a pair of exorbitant, grand, and unforgettable heels.
#7 Solid Gold OVO Air Jordans, $2 million
So Drake decides to design a sneaker, but of course they need to be solid gold. Enough gold to make them the most expensive Nike sneakers in the world.
With 24k solid gold, they weigh over 50 pounds each. The 2016 ‘Drakes’ are not going to help you dunk, but they will give you plenty of exposure to the precious metals asset class.
#8 Stuart Weitzman Cinderella Slippers, $2 million
In 2004, Alison Krauss wore the Stuart Weitzman Cinderella Slippers to the Oscars. The diamond shoes have 565 stones, including a five-karat Kwiat diamond.
Weitzman created the $1 million Marilyn Monroe heels for Regina King to wear at the 2005 Oscars. The ultra-expensive shoes had Swarovski crystals on the satin rose toe.
The crystals were from earrings once owned by Marilyn Monroe. The list of most expensive shoes designed by Weitzman doesn’t end there.
He unveiled another creation for the 2007 Oscars, the Stuart Weitzman Diamond Dream Stilettos. The shoe design featured a circular sunburst of gems, including 1,420 individual diamonds. The stiletto heels cost a half-million dollars.
#9 Stuart Weitzman Tanzanite Heel, $2 million
The Stuart Weitzman Tanzanite heel was created by the top two shoe designers in the world about 15 years ago.
Together, Stuart Weitzman and Eddie LeVian collaborated to produce a ridiculous pair of heels to ever step foot on the earth.
These evening shoes feature 185 carats of blue and purple tanzanites and 28 carats of diamonds. The tanzanite stone was selected because of its extreme rarity. They are more expensive than diamonds because only one mine exists near Mount Kilimanjaro.
The heels of the shoes are not just plain soles but are covered in platinum. The Stuart Weitzman Tanzanite heels are one of a kind, and never duplicated again.
The best heel designer in the world is coming together with one of the top jewelry designers globally, and they are both known for producing one-of-a-kind epic designs. There’s no doubt the value of these heels will remain astronomical.
#10 Jason of Beverly Hills Tom Ford Loafers, $2 million
Another pair of two million dollar shoes, this time in loafer form. Jeweler Jason of Beverly Hills designed the one-of-a-kind kicks that include more than 14,000 full-cut round white diamonds individually set in white gold.
All these diamonds are sitting atop a Tom Ford custom sole made from the highest quality material.
Roughly one year and 2,000 hours were spent crafting the loafers, which broke a Guinness World Record for the most expensive shoe in the world.
The shoes were designed for the host of “America’s Got Talent,” Nick Cannon. All proceeds of the commissioning were donated to charity.
#11 Jordan Game Worn Nike Air Ship, $1.4 Million
A Sotheby’s auction featured a sale of the most expensive game worn sneakers ever. The Michael Jordan worn Nike Air Ships. The very first Nike shoes Air Jordan ever wore for the brand.
Memorabilia collector Nick Fiorella was the high bidder for the sneakers.
#12 Most Expensive Shoes from Stuart Weitzman
For decades, designer Stuart Weitzman has been creating amazing shoes. Since his father and brother opened a shoe factory when he was nine years old, Stuart has been involved in the shoe business.
The shoe designer has his name on some of the most incredible shoes of all time, including the Stuart Weitzman Rita Hayworth Heels.
Stuart Weitzman designed a pair of Platinum Guild Stilettos with a removable ankle strap used as a necklace or bracelet.
He also designed the Stuart Weitzman Retro Rose Pumps, featuring roses made with 1800 Kwiat diamonds.
#13 Michael Jordan Signed Nike Air Jordan 1s, $560,000
What are the most expensive sneakers in the world? The signed, game-worn Air Jordan 1 sneakers sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $560,000.
These were the same basketball shoes worn by star athlete Michael Jordan during his 1984-85 rookie season. The auction began just as the last two episodes of “The Last Dance” aired on ESPN.
Experts say the timing couldn’t have been better for the sneaker seller, Jordy Geller, who originally purchased the shoes in 2012 for an undisclosed amount.
Now that a few months have passed since the auction, I wonder if the seller wants to have another shot at selling the shoes now. Prices for memorabilia have only gone up, and especially for game-worn sneakers such as these.
A Very Valuable Brand
Even though the original pair of Air Jordan sneakers might fetch a higher price today if there was another auction, I’m fairly certain Geller is satisfied with his 8-year investment return.
When Sotheby’s auction announced the sale, estimates for the Nike sneakers were around $100,000. The Jordan brand remains one of the most valuable shoe brands in the world.
Most Expensive Shoes – The Air Jordan Sneakers
It’s tough to keep track of the most expensive pair of Air Jordans. Air Jordan 4’s, Air Jordan 12s, the top 10 list seems to change weekly. There’s one pair of game-worn Jordan shoes I’d be interested to see in an auction.
The shoes are from Michael Jordan’s game 5 of the Chicago Bulls 1997 NBA Finals.
The famous Flu Game, where Jordan scored 38 points while incredibly sick. He then gave his sneakers to the Utah Jazz ball boy, Preston Truman.
The last time the shoes sold in an auction was in 2013, for $104,000. I’d love to see what they would bring if sold today.
#14 Nike Moon Shoe, $437,500
One of the original pairs of Nike running shoes sold at auction for $437,500. The “Moon Shoe” was the waffle-soled track shoes by Nike founder Bill Bowerman for the 1972 Olympics.
Bowerman famously used his wife’s waffle iron to mold the sole of the very first track shoes.
The popularity of the waffle design would spread through the track world like wildfire, creating the foundation of the world-famous billion-dollar Nike brand.
The Nike Waffle Racer
The recent sale of the Moon Shoe was one of twelve pairs of shoes ever made and was the only unworn pair of the Nike waffle racing flat.
Collector Miles Nadal was the winning bidder at the auction, which broke a record for the highest amount ever paid for sneakers.
That record was broken just about a year later with the sale of the game-worn Michael Jordan 1s.
The pre-auction estimate was $160,000 for the Moon Shoe, but the demand was incredible. Nearly a year and a half later, I would not guess what the Moon Shoes would bring at auction in the current day.
Like the Jordan 1s, it’s not impossible to say they could sell for double or even triple the sale price from last year.
#15 Nike Air MAG Back to the Future Sneakers, $100,000
In 1989, Marty Mcfly, the character played by Michael J. Fox in the movie Back to the Future II, wore a pair of self-lacing Nike Mag shoes.
That exact same pair of Nike’s worn in the movie sold from a Nike employee’s private collection during an online auction for nearly $100,000.
The money raised will go to support the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research.
#16, #17, #18 The Most Expensive Shoes – Kanye West
How could you discuss top designers and the most expensive pair of sneakers without mentioning Kanye West?
What he’s done in the sneaker world over the last few years is truly astounding. It was just about ten years ago when the first Yeezy shoe from the Nike brand was released.
What are the most expensive Kanye West sneakers? The Nike Air Yeezy prototype sneakers Kanye wore at the 2008 Grammy Awards sold for $1.8 million, busting the record for the most expensive sneaker ever sold.
5 of the most important models in the Kanye West shoe empire could be debated for days, but here are a few with astronomical prices in the resale market.
- Kanye West X Nike Air 180
- X Bape “Dropout Bear” Bapesta
- X Reebok S. Carter
- Kanye West X Nike Air Huarache 08 “Glow in the Dark Tour”
- Nike Air Yeezy 2009
Shortly after, Kanye signed with Adidas and grew the brand into a billion-dollar empire. Now, he owns one of the most popular shoe brands in the world.
One of the most expensive Yeezy shoes is the Nike Air Force One Entourage X Fukijama Gold, recently auctioned for an estimated $60,000.
What are the Most Expensive Shoes? There’s Much More to Come
Modern-day shoes have come a long way; the technology going into high-performance sneakers is pretty outstanding.
Some of the latest running shoes weigh just a couple of ounces and provide shock resistance and stability like never before.
This is not to mention the heart-stopping design and creativity pouring into the latest footwear. Shoe manufacturers are at the top of their stride when delivering highly desirable kicks.
Most Expensive Shoes and Epic Collaborations
Shoe designers, jewelers, and luxury brands are collaborating like never before.
Companies realize supply and demand laws, creating limited-edition designs with expensive materials and one-of-one pairs to drive interest and values to the moon.
The list of the most expensive shoes on earth will surely change many times in the coming years. There’s never been a better time to be a sneaker-head, shoe addict, heel collector, or boot aficionado.
Whether it’s a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1s or a pair of solid gold dress shoes, there’s no stopping the trend of expensive pairs of sneakers and incredibly valuable luxury footwear.
#19 The Greatest Shoes of All Time?
Personally, my favorite shoes of all time are the Bo Jackson trainers. They’re not the most expensive shoes, but they are, in fact, legendary. When you were a kid, you either had these shoes, or you wanted these shoes.
The Bo Nike cross-trainer sneakers were awesome. At the time, I remember them as very expensive trainers only a few other kids could afford.
Looking back, I realize my appreciation for the Nike Bo trainers probably wouldn’t be as memorable had I actually owned my own pair.
It was the mystique of wondering what it would be like to wear them that sticks with you.
What are the Most Expensive Shoes? There’s Much More to Come
Modern-day shoes have come a long way; the technology going into high-performance sneakers is pretty outstanding.
Some of the latest running shoes weigh just a couple of ounces and provide shock resistance and stability like never before.
This is not to mention the heart-stopping design and creativity pouring into the latest footwear. Shoe manufacturers are at the top of their stride when delivering highly desirable kicks.