Giuseppe Zanotti Shoes

Since 1994, shoe designer Giuseppe Zanotti has been the uncrowned king of luxury Italian footwear. Zanotti quickly made a name for himself with glamorous, statement- making classics: high-heel pumps, peep-toe stilettos, jewel-strapped sandals, and fur- lined platform boots that are sold year-round.

Meticulously crafted at factories in Italy, Zanotti's eponymous line of fashion- forward designs have developed a cult following and are favorites of the Hollywood set and music video crowds. Zanotti fans include Beyoncé, Heidi Klum, Gwyneth Paltrow, Charlize Theron, and Janet Jackson.

From red-carpet-ready men's velvet loafers adorned with Swarovski crystals to stud- strapped thong slides, Zanotti's sexy modern silhouettes, exquisite jeweled embellishments, and high-level craftsmanship make them perennial hits at auction.

Quick Facts

• For the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, Giuseppe Zanotti joined forces with luxe jewelry maker Chopard to design the world's most precious shoes, a pair of diamond- encrusted satin heels valued at $180,000
• In 2012, crochet-and-beaded stilettos designed by Kanye West for Giuseppe Zanotti were sold at the French boutique Colette for close to $6,000 a pair
• In a 2009 charity auction for HIV/AIDS research, a pair of hand-beaded Giuseppe Zanotti boots designed exclusively for Michael Jackson sold for $14,634