A man’s shoes can say a lot about their status, attention to detail, and even their profession. For a long period in history and in many cultures, shoes served as a status symbol. Even just wearing a pair of them already meant you belong to a more respectable social class.
The kind of shoes a man wears also distinguishes him from the crowd. It can make him look sophisticated, stylish, or otherwise. As an endpoint, a pair of footwear can be a man’s hidden weapon to unleash that “wow” factor.
Check out these ultra-high-end shoes for the classy gentleman.
FYI, thanks to AI imagery software, we’re able to create very specific fashion and hairstyle examples to illustrate the points being made. In some cases, imagery is exaggerated to hammer home the point.
10. Aubercy Diamond-Studded Shoes – $4,500
Founded in 1935 by Renee and Andre Aubercy, the first workshop was established near the famous Bourse of Paris. Combining the intelligent craft of Italian shoemaking and the sturdiness of English shoemaking, Aubercy has established a reputation of making shoes with exceptional quality. Through the years, their passion and love for making stylish and high-quality shoes have helped to attract thousands of customers to their brand.
Today, Aubercy continues to craft its shoes in the family artisanal workshop. The craftsmen use amazing leatherwork finally designing a pair of shoes that are not only comfortable on one’s feet but they are of high quality.
Nicknamed the “Phil”, the evening shoes are diamond-studded and should set you back around $4,500.
9. Louis Vuitton Manhattan Richelieu Men’s Shoes – $10,000
Presented as part of the Spring/Summer 2010 collection, the Louis Vuitton Manhattan Richelieu Men’s Shoes are priced at $10,000. Crafted from waxed alligator leather, the leather covers the entire shoe together with Blake stitching accents and detailed perforations. The shoe was crafted using the Blake method. This is a technique whereby immediate suppleness and comfort are imparted giving the shoes a vintage flair.
The shoes feature glove-soft leather lining that assures you of comfort. They also have a Ruthenium-finish LV cube embedded in the heel and a hand-painted sole. The name “wingtip” is derived from the toe cap shaped like the wings of a bird. Simply put, the design is pointed at the center and extends towards the back with side seams.
8. Nike Air Mag 2016 Shoes – $26,000
Famously worn by Michael J. Fox in the Back to the Future movie, the Nike Air Mag 2016 pair of shoes are a limited edition release made available to the public via auctions. The shoes were released with the goal of raising awareness about Parkinson’s diseases. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research worked together with Nike in 2011 to craft the shoe for the foundation.
Auctioned in the same year, the shoes fetched a total of $10 million in just 10 days. Three venues from around the world were chosen to host the auction and they include Hong Kong, London, and New York. The funds were directed to the foundation’s effort in finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease.
Michael J. Fox started the foundation after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 29. His main goal was to find a cure for the disease. At the time of writing, the foundation was in the process of driving critical research as well as mobilizing Parkinson’s patients and research to help speed up the progress of finding a cure.
The Nike Air Mag 2016 shoes have LED panels, power lacing, and an electroluminescent Nike on the strap. Nike combines the HyperAdapt 1.0, technology that allows the shoes to automatically lace and fit the unique shape of the one wearing them. Simply put, the individual responsive system senses the wearer’s feet and loosens or tightens to fit perfectly without squishing the toes of the wearer.
Only 89 of the Nike Air Mag 2016 were made.
7. Nike Air Zoom – Kobe 1 – $30,000
Founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbons sports, Nike is a multinational engaged in the design, manufacturing, and marketing plus sales of apparel, sports equipment, footwear, and accessories. As the world’s largest supplier of apparel and shoes to athletes participating in different sports around the world, Nike also sponsors high profile athletes.
First released in 2005 after the re-launch of the Huarache basketball line, the Nike Air Zoom Kobe 1 shoes were re-launched in 2013 in celebration of Kobe Bryant. As part of the Kobe Prelude Pack, the shoes were priced at $30,000. Designed by Ken Link, they were upgraded with 2015 technology.
Crafted to meet the performance needs of the wearer, the designer focused on reducing weight and incorporating new technology. Simply put, the designer wanted to make sure that the Nike Air Zoom – Kobe 1 had a better system to enhance comfort and create a more engineered feel.
6. Testoni Men’s Shoes – $38,000
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In 1929, Amedeo Testoni opened his first workshop having learned the secrets of shoemaking from the Bolognese craftsmen. Two decades after opening his first workshop, Testoni had improved on the Bolognese traditional shoemaking process finally achieving his dream of crafting the most beautiful shoes the world has ever seen.
Today, the company continues to use old methodologies and the finest materials to achieve the highest quality without any compromise. The Testoni men’s dress shoes have an astonishing price of $38,000 and were handcrafted from the world’s finest exotic alligator skin.
The shoemakers applied the Norvegese technique instead of the Bolognese technique they have used to craft other shoes. This was done with the goal of ensuring the shoes are water-resistant and durable. The shoes have been stitched with custom-made linen twine and lined with glove-soft goatskin. They are fitted with a diamond and gold-rich buckle to give them a stylish look.
5. Big Boi’s Diamond-studded Air Force 1 by Nike – $50,000
Presented at the Solitaire Kicks, it was at the event where Big Boi of Outkast unveiled the Big Boi’s Diamond-studded Air Force 1 by Nike priced at $50,000. The shoes are encrusted with diamonds thanks to a collaboration between Laced Up Atlanta and P&C Diamonds. 13K of champagne diamonds were encrusted on the shoes and Big Boi was the first celebrity to purchase them at the event. The proceeds from the sale of the shoes were contributed to Big Boi’s Big Kidz Foundation.
Nike originally introduced the Nike Air Force 1 in 1982 but discontinued them after 1 year. They were later re-introduced in 1986 with the Nike logo at the back. Since then, the company has released over 1,700 variations of the shoe earning over $800 million in sales.
4. Air Jordan Silver Shoes – $60,000
Air Jordan is a brand of athletic apparel and basketball shoes designed and manufactured by Nike. Created for a renowned professional basketball player, Michael Jordan, the first pair was manufactured in 1984. Released in late 1984, the original Air Jordan I was designed by Tinker Hatfield, Bruce Kilgore, and Peter Moore. They used the silhouette of Michael Jordan to create the “Jumpman” trademark.
The Air Jordan Silver Shoes are a pair of unique shoes that are also very rare. As a sleek looking pair of shoes which have been the envy of basketball enthusiasts, the Air Jordan Silver Shoes have a price tag of $60,000. Autographed by Michael Jordan himself, the shoes are comfortable to wear.
They have silver detailing which is a work of art. Thanks to the popularity of the Air Jordan brand, Nike has continued to manufacture new designs using the latest technology to offer wearer’s a stylish and durable pair of shoes.
3. Nizam Sikandar Jah Asaf Jah III Shoes – $160,000
Born in 1768, Nizam Sikandar Jah was a ruler of Hyderabad in India during the early 19th century – from 1803 to 1829. Having grown up in Chow Mahalla in the Khilwath Palace, he was the second son of Asaf Jah. He married Jahan Parwar Begum Sahiba, daughter of Nawab Saif, and later married Fazilath Unisa Begum.
He was officially known as Nizam ul-Mulk, Mik Akbar ‘Ali Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi Bahadur, Asaf Jah III and Nizam of Hyderabad
During his rule, he commissioned the making of a pair of slippers that were adorned with diamonds and rubies. The shoes have a delicate design which was extremely complex to make. Stitched with gold thread, the shoes are adorned with emeralds and other expensive gemstones too.
Valued at $160,000, the shoes are the property of a Toronto based museum – Bata Shoes Museum. As a symbol of 18th-century royalty, the shoes were stolen but later recovered with slight damage to them.
2. Diamond Studded Mercurial CR7 Rare Gold Nike Boots – $218,000
On January 12th, 2015, Cristiano Ronaldo earned his third Ballon d’Or. To celebrate and congratulate the football player for a stellar year, Nike unveiled the boots. The CR7 logo is encrusted with micro-diamonds which are remnants of larger stones perfected by craftsmen around the world. Large diamonds are refined and sharpened, then tiny pieces are removed which leaves the micro diamonds behind.
Available in gold color, the diamond-studded boots are accented with golden cleats. In a statement to mark the design and awarding of the shoes to the football player, Nike said the following “Gold was selected as the main color for the boots because gold is earned. Cristiano Ronaldo earned his golden award with tremendous play for both club and country.”
The player wore the shoes during a match against Atletico Madrid on January 15th, 2015.
1. Tom Ford Custom shoes by Jason Arasheben – $2 million
At the top of our Most Expensive Men’s Shoes (10) list is the Tom Ford Custom shoes by Jason Arasheben priced at $2 million. Designed by a California based custom jewelry retailer – Jason Arasheben – the shoes broke the Guinness World Record for “The Most Expensive Shoes in the world. Encrusted with 14, 000 white diamonds individually set on white gold, the total carat is 340 carats.
It took a year and 2,000 hours of labor to design and craft the Tom Ford Custom shoes by Jason Arasheben. During the finale of the 2014 NBC America’s Got Talent, Nick Cannon wore the shoes. In an Instagram video, Nick Cannon displayed the pricey shoes by saying “Two million dollar shoes, a million on each foot.”