History of the Top 5 Shoe Designers in the World.

A famous actress once said, “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.” A woman can never have one too many shoes after all. What started off as a functional venture has eventually evolved into a mixed, thriving industry with artistic values equally as important as its practicality. Over thousands of years, the colors, designs and materials of shoes have had impactful changes despite serving the same purpose: protecting our feet. 

Today, the shoe-market is still thriving, with designer labels dominating the red-carpet walkway and many elated women who’d rather go hungry than to miss out on owning a pair worn by Nicole Kidman during the Academy Awards. Ah, such is the power of shoes (and handbags) over women. As the years go by, the demand for luxury designer labels have since increased. Here is a list of the top designer shoe brands in the world to date and the story behind their successful founders.

Alexander McQueen

In 1969, Alexander “Lee” McQueen was born into a working-class family living in public housing in South-East London. He dropped out of school at the tender age of 16 and started working in several tailor shops located in well-known Savile Row. Thanks to his experience with theatrical costume designers, he has developed his style into what it is today. However, McQueen tragically lost his life to suicide not long after his mother’s death. It was a huge loss to the fashion industry. While you can find a pair of Alexander McQueens within the RM2000 range, a more ornate (and impossibly preposterous) pair of heels would cost you around RM5500 or more.

Fun fact: Advocates for McQueen’s designer label includes Kate Moss, Lady Gaga and Blake Lively.

You can get yourself a pair of pre-loved Alexander McQueens from Reebonz or visit their store at Starhill Gallery, Kuala Lumpur for a brand new pair.

Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin (pronounced KREEST-yahn loo-boo-TAAN) was born in Paris, France in 1963. Similar to McQueen, he was expelled from school at the age of 16 and began working for the famed Parisian cabaret Folies Bergere where he fulfilled his dream of making shoes with them. It was when he landed a job with Charles Jourdan where he learned everything he needed to know about the shoes business. In the early 1990s, Louboutin set up is own shop in Paris and it was during this time where he found the inspiration for his trademark red outer soles. Over the years, Louboutin has not failed to churn out imaginative footwear which has eventually become an international success story. According to The New Yorker, he sells more than 500,000 pairs of shoes every year. The price range for a pair of Louboutins range from RM1500 to a whopping RM23,000 (for crystal-encrusted pairs)!

Fun fact: He has sued Yves Saint Laurent over its used of red outer soles on some of its shoes. Shows how much he works to protect his designs from copycats!

Reward yourself with a brand new pair of Louboutins here. Alternatively you can visit Reebonz or Glampot for a pre-loved selection.

Jimmy Choo

Now, Mr Choo here is a man all Malaysians should be proud of. Born in Penang in 1961, Dato’ Jimmy Choo was the son of a cobbler, hence involving himself in the shoemaking world from a young age. By the time he reached 11 years of age, he had already made his first pair of shoes. In the early 1980s, he went overseas to study at the Cordwainers Technical College in Hackney, England and graduated with honors in 1983. In 1986, he opened his first shoe shop in Hackney and was escalated to fame three years later when his shoes were featured in Vogue magazine. Eventually, Dato’ Jimmy Choo formed a joint-venture with Vogue editor, Tamara Mellon and by the year 2000, Choo was already a globally-recognized name. However, in 2001, Choo and Mellon had a falling out. He sold his half of the company to Equinox Luxury Holdings for $30 million (RM116 million). Today, he crafts a small number of pairs of shoes each week at a small shop in London which serves as headquarters for the Jimmy Choo Couture line. A pair of these babies range between RM1400 to RM15,000!

Fun fact: Lily James wore an exclusive pair of shoes during this year’s Berlin Film Festival designed by Jimmy Choo which reimagines the iconic glass slipper. The shoe has 7000 Swarovski crystals and 46 embroidered stones.

Support our Malaysian-born success story by getting your hands on a pair of spanking brand new Jimmy Choos at their store in Suria KLCC. Good quality pre-loved pairs can also be found at Reebonz and Glampot.

Manolo Blahnik

Born and raised in the Canary Islands, Manolo Blahnik (pronounced mah-No-lo BLAH-nik) – now 72 years of age – grew up homeschooled and years later received his degree in Literature and Architecture in 1965. He then moved to Paris to study art at the Louvre Art School while working at a vintage clothing shop. In 1968, he moved to London to work at a fashion boutique called “Zapata”. Eventually he managed to buy over Zapata from its owner and open his own boutique. He was featured on the cover of U.L. Vogue six years later and was the first man to be featured on the cover page and has been successful ever since. His signature Classic Manolo Blahnik Stiletto Heels are well known all over the world partly because some are made from exotic animal skin. A pair of Manolo Blahniks would range from between RM2400 to RM8000.

Fun fact: Blahnik never studied making shoes in school. He picked up the skill by visiting shoe factories and talking to the machine operators, pattern cutters and technicians.

As Manolo Blahnik does not have a store in Malaysia, you may visit Saks Fifth Avenue for brand new and authentic shoes. Otherwise, visit Reebonz for a fair selection of pre-loved ones.

Louis Vuitton

In 1821, Louis Vuitton (pronounced loo-EE VWEE-tawn) was born into a long-established working-class family in Anchay, France. Vuitton’s mother passed away when he was only 10 years ago and soon ran away to Paris to seek a new life after his father remarried. At 13, Vuitton began taking odd jobs to feed himself and eventually got a job as a box-packer three years later. In 1851, he was hired by the Empress of France as her personal box-maker hence providing him a gateway to a class of elite and royal clientele who would seek his services for the remainder of his life. He got married and opened his own box-making and packing workshop in Paris. Four years later, he debuted a new trunk which, unlike the others, was rectangular, making it easier to transport around. His trunk is considered as the birth of modern luggage. While you can easily find a pair of LVs around RM3200 to RM7800, the most expensive shoes to ever be sold were men’s shoes.

Fun fact: The Manhattan Richelieu Men’s Shoes (released in 2010) are the most expensive shoes on planet Earth worth $10,000 (RM39,000)!

There are several Louis Vuitton stores around Kuala Lumpur: Starhill Gallery, Suria KLCC and The Gardens Mall. If you prefer pre-loved shoes, visit Reebonz or Glampot to give pre-loved shoes a new home and loving owner.

There you have it, the top 5 shoes designers from around the globe. It is interesting how these 5 men come from (nearly) different parts of the world and seem to have one thing in common – perseverance. Never giving up brought them to where they are today and I suppose we could learn a thing or two from them. As mentioned in the beginning of this piece, a woman can never have too many pairs of shoes, so shop away! Although, if you are interested in raking up more in savings, do check out our Reebonz and Glampot vouchers for the very best deals and coupon codes you can find. Happy weekend everyone!

PS: Wondering who it was we quoted at the beginning of this post? Well, none other than the late Marilyn Monroe of course!

By Denise Goh
August 07, 2015 | Brands