Louboutin to Blahnik: 10 Shoe Designers You Should Commit to Memory

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(Image credit: 5 Inch and Up)

There are fashion brands that design shoes, and then there are shoe designers, the latter being the dedicated people who focus on nothing else but making beautiful things for our feet. While I'll often wax lyrical on the merits of Miu Mius and Pradas that are made in Italy (just one of my favourite footwear topics), there's always something to be said for someone who decides to charge forth as a cordwainer and a cordwainer alone. Whether it's a savvy shoe maestro noticing a gap in the market to be filled with something special or a tireless trooper spending decades perfecting the ultimate pair of black courts, we salute each and every one of them.

These days there are countless startup shoe labels (some of my new favourites include Neous, Dorateymur and Aeyde), but some of the most established names never lose popularity. Take the enduring effect of Christian Louboutin's red soles or the classic beauty of a pair of Manolo Blahnik slingbacks. Keep reading to see the top 10 shoe designers in the world today.

Related: Trust Me—These 5 Ankle-Boot Trends Will Be Everywhere You Look in 2024

Hannah Almassi
Editor in Chief

Hannah Almassi is the editor in chief of Who What Wear UK. Hannah has been part of the the Who What Wear brand since 2015, when she was headhunted to launch the UK sister site and social channels, implement a localised content strategy and build out the editorial team. She joined following a seven-year tenure at Grazia magazine, where she led front-of-book news, fashion features and shopping specials as fashion news and features editor. With experience in both print and digital across fashion and beauty, Hannah has over 16 years in the field as a journalist, editor, content strategist and brand consultant. Hannah has interviewed industry heavyweights such as designers including Marc Jacobs and Jonathan Anderson through to arbiters of taste including Katie Grand and Anna Dello Russo. A skilled moderator and lecturer specialising in the shift to digital media and e-commerce, Hannah’s opinion and work has been sought by the likes of CNBC, BBC, The Sunday Times Style, The Times, The Telegraph and MatchesFashion.com, among many others. Hannah is often called upon for her take on trends, becoming known as a person with their finger of the pulse of what’s happening in the fashion space for stylish Brits.

Hannah currently resides in Eastbourne with her photographer husband, incredibly busy son and highly Instagrammable cat.