- Handmade Kathryn Wilson pumps took more than 50 hours to create
- Shoes are adorned with 21.18 carats of diamonds, lace, embellishment
- Specially made for Ronald McDonald House children's charity auction
Here is a pair of shoes that really are fit for a princess, and with a price tag of more than £276,000, they are the most expensive shoes in the world.
The fairy tale classic court-heeled shoe features more than a quarter of a million pounds worth of white diamonds, making it a one-of-a-kind work of art Worth NZD$500,000, or £276,237.
Simply called ‘the Diamond shoe’, New Zealand designer Kathryn Wilson masterminded the glamorous accessory with the help of Sarah Hutchings of Auckland’s Orsini Fine Jewellery company.
The glamorous £276,000 diamond shoe masterminded by Kiwi designer Kathryn Wilson
The creation process involved hours of surgeon-like precision using tweezers and a special adhesive to painstakingly attach the diamonds to the shoe, one by one.
Both wanted to create a shoe that signified the ultimate in designer luxury and embodied the 'Cinderella' fantasy.
It took more than 50 hours to make the exclusive shoes, which are made up of 21.18 carats of quality diamonds, lace, embellishments and a Kathryn Wilson shoe.
Sarah said: 'Kathyrn approached me to work with her on the project for her Winter launch. I loved Kathryn’s work and I have a life long passion for shoes so it seemed perfect.
If you want to be the belle of the ball like Cinderella, then these dazzling shoes will be right up your street
William Ivey Long and Stuart Weitzman created a pair of pumps for Cinderella at the Broadway Theatre
'It was incredibly time consuming and a lot of thought went into it before I even began.
'The shoe was originally black so to give it more impact I painted it white, then used a pencil to mark out the patterns and designs.
'I also had to work out how many carats of diamonds were required and how much space I needed to place the lace and embellishments. Then the late nights painstakingly placing the diamonds onto the shoe using tweezers at home, one night I was still going at 2am!
'The final product was well worth the sleep deprivation and pain.'
Designer Kathryn Wilson and Sarah Hutchings, of Orsini Fine Jewellery, are proud of the diamond shoes
Because of the value of the shoe, a full scale security operation was required, with two guards on standby
And because of the value of the shoe, a full scale security operation was required, with two guards on standby at the door while Sarah got to work.
'I had two security guards in cars follow me at all times when I was transporting the diamonds and shoe, it was quite exciting, like being in a James Bond movie!, ' Sarah added.
'I also had a custom made smash proof box made in perspex made especially for the launch.'
Those hoping to strut their stuff in these fairytale-esque shoes will be disappointed, as they were specially made for a charity auction, raising NZD$22,000 for Ronald McDonald House, a children's hospital network that cares for families of sick children while they're being treated.
Those hoping to purchase the fairytale shoes will be disappointed, as they were specially made for charity
Knocked off the top spot, world's SECOND most expensive shoes
This was the most expensive pair of shoes in the world setting fashion lovers back a staggering £140,000 - until the Kathryn Wilson beauties came about.
The stilettos are made entirely from solid gold and more than 2,000 diamonds and is the brainchild of British jewellery designer Christopher Michael Shellis.
Shellis spent three years working on the opulent creation, painstakingly put together by skilled goldsmiths in temperatures of more than 1000ºC.
Each pair is handcrafted from solid gold and then encrusted with 2,200 brilliant cut diamonds, totalling 30 carats.
He said: 'The aim of this was to create a unique form of jewellery which you can wear on your feet.
'It's a bit like if you found these on an archaeological dig in thousands of years time they would be regarded as a treasure - a treasure of the feet.
'But like any great treasure it will remain as beautiful as the day it was created - and we even offer an 'eternity' guarantee lasting 1,000 years.'
The heels and soles are replaceable - they are shoes that are supposed to be worn, not just looked at.
The shoes have been on sale for two years but the designer, whose label is called House Of Borgezie, has sold only four pairs - to very high profile customers.
The House of Borgezie shoes are handcrafted from solid gold and encrusted with 2,200 diamonds
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