Stuart Weitzman: The World’s Best-Loved Shoemaker?
Shoe-making legend Stuart Weitzman transformed a common
profession into a world-renowned, designer brand bearing his name.
Born into the family business Weitzman designed his first shoe in
his early twenties, and he hasn’t stopped since; every year
Weitzman creates hundreds of new product designs to satisfy the
demand generated by his dedicated following of self-proclaimed
Weitzman women.
For more than 40 years, Stuart Weitzman has designed and drafted
patterns for legendary shoes to be produced at the
company-controlled factory in Alicante, Spain. After repurchasing
his shoe company in 1992, Weitzman continued to split his time
overseeing the manufacturing floor and creating new footwear
designs. Weitzman remains one of the few women’s footwear designers
who also drafts the manufacturing patterns ensuring his unique
design elements remain unaltered.
In addition to high-quality leather and suede shoes, Weitzman is
famous for his use of innovative materials, such as vinyl, cork,
Lucite, wallpaper, crystals, gems, and precious metals. Weitzman’s
signature styles include clear Lucite stilettos and revamped jelly
sandals with modern colors, sophisticated styling, and cute beaded
details. Though bold designs and innovation materials, the Stuart
Weitzman brand has remained at the forefront of global shoe
manufacturing and design.
Stuart Weitzman currently holds the title for the world’s most
expensive shoe. Every year, Weitzman strives to break his own
record by designing exceedingly expensive shoes for the Academy
Awards ceremony. First there was the $1.6 million pair of ruby
slipper stilettos, followed by the $2 million Cinderella slippers,
but Weitzman didn’t stop there. He topped his own record again by
designing Wizard of Oz-inspired ruby sandals encrusted with 4,600
stones supplied and set by Harry Winston jewelers.
Today, Stuart Weitzman has a global fan base with distribution
in 65 countries and sales representing two millions pairs of shoes
per year. In addition to women’s dress shoes and formal evening
footwear, a large portion of Weitzman’s legendary designs are in
the fashion and casual sport category. In 2008, the company
launched its first kid’s line with eye-catching sandals and shoes
for infants and girls. By creating more then 600 unique footwear
and handbag styles every year, Weitzman continues his legacy of
quality, innovation, and sophistication that make him the world’s
best-loved shoe designer.