People may not consider shoes works of art, but some do. Because of this, some shoes can become so extravagantly luxurious that they're actually worth thousands. Business Insider reported previously that expensive shoes had overtaken luxury handbags as status symbols; Regina King wore one pair to the Oscars, and Stuart Weitzman created another inspired by Rita Hayworth; both are currently owned by Princess Yasmin Aga Khan's daughter Princess Yasmin Aga Khan and cost $3 Million each!
Moon Star shoes topped our list, having been in business since 1873. Established in Kurume and initially producing traditional Jika-Tabi (split toe) shoes, over time their expertise and knowledge have allowed them to produce vulcanized rubber footwear that proudly proclaim "Made in Kurume."
Antonio Vietri's shoes that were featured at MIDE (Made in Italy, Designed in Emirates) Fashion Week aboard a yacht in Dubai are an opulent example of footwear available from Moon Star. They boast 24-karat solid gold heels and 30 carats of diamonds in total along with an 16th-century Argentinian meteorite from their collection.
These shoes were handcrafted using Kasuri, an intricate technique requiring immense skill and taking two months to finish a 13-yard piece of fabric. In addition, the shoes were baked in a kiln so as to be both flexible and durable.