1.
Giuseppe
Zanotti
Nicki Minaj wasn’t playing when she declared Giuseppe
Zanotti heels, “
the monster shoe.” From sneakers to pumps to
heel-less sandals and wedges, Zanotti has it all–and celebs are clear
fans.
Zanotti’s star client list reads like a who’s who of Hollywood. Everyone
from
Kim Kardashian to
Cassie to
Keri
Hilson has been spied in a pair of their pumps or wedge heels:
From my personal experience they’re more comfortable and somewhat
more affordable than Louboutins (especially during sale season). Take a
look at a few current styles:
2.
Nicholas
Kirkwood
Though
Nicholas Kirkwood of course has his share of
regular pumps, he makes a splash by playing with platforms, along with
alluring lace ups, and colors:
Beyonce, Lala, and
Ms. Dynamite have
been seen in brand’s lace up platform sandals, and
Thandie
Newton loves chic Kirkwood pumps:
Try these on for size:
3.
Charlotte
Olympia
Charlotte Olympia’s signature ‘island’ platforms
offer height and a distinctive look.
Jennifer Lopez, Estelle,
Erica Reid, and
Kim Kardashian have all worn a
pair, sidling up to the brand’s vertiginous heels:
Editors, socialites, and the fashion set clearly cosign:
Get ‘em here:
4.
Brian Atwood
Want conservative class? Opt for
Brian Atwood. Never
audacious, the platform beauts set a stylish standard without an
in-your-face aesthetic.
Atwoods will run you $600+, though the lower priced yet equally cute B
by Brian Atwood line has options in the $300 range:
5.
Walter
Steiger
Heel curator
Walter Steiger is now more known for his
curved heels than anything else. The family owned company has a small,
but growing client roster amongst Hollywood glitterati, including
Nicki
Minaj, Ashanti, and Beyonce.
Walter Steiger heels are a bit elusive–they’re not stocked in many
luxury department stores, which only adds to their caché:
Prices start at $300 (on sale) and up. Get ‘em at
Barneys.com.
6.
Gianmarco
Lorenzi
Nicki Minaj likes to take risks with her footwear, so
she’s frequently spied in pairs on various red carpets
, Beyonce is also a client, wearing Lorenzi shoes for
casual dates and blockbuster videos
Look to spend anywhere from $500-$1,000:
7.
Pierre Hardy
French brand
Pierre Hardy colorblocks with the best of
them, and also offers fun deviations like paillette peppered heels, and
metallic tinged sandals:
While Hardy’s flow in and out of favor with women (depending on the
season), men stay fly in Pierre Hardy sneaks all year round:
Pierre Hardy shoes average $500 and up, though you can find some on
sale for around $300:
8.
Ruthie Davis
Ruthie Davis’s neon, spiked, look-at-me heels have been
worn by everyone from
Amber Rose to
Beyoncé.
Davis’s styles make a splash thanks to fun details like deconstructed
heels, vivid bursts of color, and fun embellisments:
While few celebs are adventurous enough to try her more bold styles,
trust us when we say there’s a lot to love. Expect to spend $500-$1,000
(but keep an eye peeled for sample sales!):
9.
Camilla
Skovgaard
Danish designer
Camilla Skovgaard makes shoes her own
with signature spiky, serrated rubber soles. Whether playing on sandals
or pumps, the soles render regular shoes fun, edgy, and walking works of
art:
Kimora Lee, Kim Kardashian, Brandy and
Halle
Berry have worn the brand, catering particularly to its leg
lengthening cutout sandals:
Prices start at $250 (on sale), and go up, up, up:
Aside from loving a few particular shoes designers, we of course can’t
get enough of the accessories available at select fashion houses. In
addition to offering amazing ready-to-wear, these brands also have the
shoe game on lock.
A few of my favorites:
10.
Lanvin
If you love Lanvin dresses, you’ll adore Lanvin shoes. It seems the
brand always offers the highest yet most elegant wedges and heels, with
sexy strap details and ribbon ties.
This season, they came out with cut out heels, laser cut boots, and
pumps with sequined flower embellishments:
11.
Prada & Miu
Miu
Big sister
Prada and little sister
Miu Miu consistently
offer unique and intriguing footwear. Every season, stylistas like
Rihanna, Kourtney Kardashian, and
Monica take
their pick of polka dot platforms, brogues, ankle strap pumps:
Prada and Miu Miu shoes are comfy, and have sick sales.
Check out a few Prada picks here:
And more from Miu Miu:
12.
Fendi
Yes, Fendi goes a little overboard with logos sometimes, emblazoning
boots and sandals with the ubiquitous “F” on the toe box:
But once you get past the logo lovin, you can cling to Fendi’s
adventurous hues, high platforms, and classic swagger:
13.
Gucci
Gucci is known for understated luxury, and their shoes
reflect the house’s sensibility.
14.
Versace
Want a pair of bright, high as the sky, can-barely-walk,
couture/stripper heels? Look no further than
Versace:
Only the strong need apply:
15.
Yves Saint Laurent
Nothing says ‘classic’ more than YSL Trib and Tribtoo pumps and sandals.
When you need a ‘go-to’ shoe, look no further
Of course this list is far from complete. Every
house from
Louis
Vuitton to
Givenchy
to
Dolce
& Gabbana ,
Alexander Wang,
Alexander McQueen,
and
Valentino
make amazing shoes. And we can’t forget mainstays like
Sergio Rossi and
Jimmy Choo.
This was just a short list of our faves.
What are some of your favorite luxury shoe brands?
