A Closer Look at the $1 Million Stuart Weitzman “Marilyn Monroe” Shoes
Stuart Weitzman has earned a reputation as a shoe designer but he’s no average cobbler. His creations feature some of the most expensive materials in the world and they are worn by the rich and the famous. He’s developed a habit of creating very special shoes for women with a price tag that hovers around a million dollars or more. His “Marilyn Monroe” edition is one such shoe. To understand what makes these shoes worth a fortune, we must take a much closer look and examination of the facts involved in their creation.
The Stuart Weitzman “Marilyn Monroe” shoes
When you first glance at these high heeled shoes, they’re pleasing to the eye and they do have a lovely rose focal point in the center. The straps are delicate and feminine with an attractive wraparound ankle strap that crisscrosses at the top, one of my favorite features. While they’re stylish and appear to be well made, you would never guess that these shoes just happen to be valued at $1 million based on appearance. While the stones at the center of the rose are very pretty, they have a far greater value than the average person could ever know, that is unless you know their origins. Marilyn Monroe had never worn these shoes but they still have a strong connection with the late superstar actress.
The design and construction of the shoe
The design, of course, is a Stuart Weitzman original concept. He’s brilliant when it comes to using premium materials which are unique and valuable. He has the heart and soul of a collector, so he has a deep understanding of how to create a collectible with almost an uncanny or spiritual ability. There is consistently deep inherent value infused into his creations. The Marilyn Monroe original features a nude evening shoe styling. The rose which adorns the center is made of satin material and within the center is a pattern of genuine Swarovski crystals. This adds value to the original design, and although one could surmise that because the phrase “diamonds are a girls best friend” is closely associated with Ms. Monroe, these are not diamonds, but rather, they have a more significant value.
What makes them so valuable?
The original Stuart Weitzman Marilyn Monroe shoes feature Swarovski crystals which were actually worn by Marilyn Monroe. They are actually a pair of her personal earrings that she had worn. If this doesn’t increase the value and rarity of the shoe, there is little on the planet that could. We’re not quite sure how Weitzman acquired them, but he’s the same guy that paid nearly nine and a half million dollars for a collectible stamp, so he no doubt worked his magic to acquire the crystal earrings for the creation of this very special evening shoe which was one of a kind.
Sale of the replica shoes
The shoes were worn at the 2005 Oscar Awards ceremony by actress Regina King. There was an auction afterward with a version of the shoes being offered to raise money for a charity event. The earrings which were the originals owned by Marilyn Monroe were removed from the shoes and replaced with replications prior to the auctioning, with no implication that the shoes still bore the genuine earrings of the sexy blonde bombshell movie star. The going price at the auction of the shoes with the replicated stones was a cool $1 million. Even though there was no longer an element owned by Marilyn, there was still a firm connection which was made and after all, the proceeds of the auction were designated for charity. We couldn’t possibly imagine how much these shoes would have gone for if they still retained the famous earrings that Marilyn had worn. We’re still wondering how he got his hands on them and where the earrings went after removal from the shoes.
Weitzman’s legacy
The Swarovski Crystals were valuable and the fact that something Marilyn Monroe had worn on her body had at one time adorned these shoes delivered a high dosage of value to them on a few different fronts. Even though the crystals were replicated, it was enough to know that the shoes once carried the rare earrings. This was enough for the bidder who was willing to pay $1 million for the shoes. Neither can the Weitzman brand name be discounted as a factor in the high selling price of these shoes. It’s not difficult to see why the designer is so well respected among the rich and famous. His designs are among the most unique on the planet and they are highly prized because of his thoughtfulness and deep diving perspective on what adds to the uniqueness and overall value of the shoe designs within his expanding portfolio. He’s one of the most trusted and prized shoe designers in the industry. You know that when you acquire a pair of Weitzman original designs that there is a lot more to the shoe than simply meets the eye, and perhaps this is a part of the attraction, for those who understand the psychology behind the design.
Final thoughts
Once again, Stuart Weitzman has created a magnificent design original that has a lot going for it. His tendency to infuse quality and uniqueness in the shoes that go for a million and often more keeps us on the edge of our seats to discover what he’s going to offer next. His iteration of the Marilyn Monroe shoe took many by surprise. The shoes were lovely enough, perhaps even breathtaking with the Swarovski crystals. When you learn that they were actually encrusted with the earrings that were worn by Marilyn Monroe, this fact took them well over the top of extra special and ultra-exclusive. It’s the kind of genius that we’ve come to expect from Weitzman though.