Iconic Red Carpet Shoes: A Walk Through Fashion History

Celebrities have enviable access to designers and their custom creations—including shoes—so the red carpet is usually a gorgeous display of footwear. Increasingly, it’s been an opportunity for our favorite actors, singers, and public figures to go big and bold with their shoe choices, especially at events like the Cannes Film Festival and the Met Gala. But when it comes to considering the best red carpet shoes, “best” doesn’t always mean “over the top.” Some of the footwear on this list is more minimalist, but it was perfect for the context in which it was worn. With that in mind, keep reading to check out the best red carpet shoes of all time.

Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian loves a high, heeled shoe (including during her pregnancies!). This photo was taken way back in 2010 during Shapemagazine’s 2nd annual ‘Bikini Body Tour,’ and Kardashian was really leaning in to sculptural pieces—see also this gorgeous black beaded platform that kind of looks like a robot.

Marion Cotillard

If you’re unfamiliar with Marion Cotillard, the actress regularly makes interesting shoe choices. These Dior heels, which Cotillard wore in 2009 to the Bike In Style Challenge, look like a simple silver pattern in front—then they have these impressive statues in the back, thought to be a fertility goddess designed by John Galliano.

Margot Robbie

Margot Robbie gave us some exceptional pink shoes when she was promoting the Barbie movie (this is at CinemaCon), but my favorite is actually these minimal heeled sandal mules, with added Chanel anklet to add a little sparkle—it all feels in keeping with Robbie’s style.

Spike Lee

These custom Nike Air Jordan sneakers were made specifically for Spike Lee—and he wore them to the 2019 Academy Awards ceremony with a purple suit (and won an Oscar!). A similar model was sold at auction in 2023 for over $50,000, in case you’re curious.

Billie Eilish

Fashion sneakers: great for the red carpet! Billie Eilish (who wears whatever she wants and often goes for an oversized, casual style) was wearing a gorgeous studded Burberry trench. So these matching Burberry sneakers and socks make a lot of sense, and are very in keeping with her vibe.

Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica parker’s shoe style is legendary at this point, particularly her Carrie-inspired stiletto heels. For my money, this heel-and-tights combination (seen while she was attending the Met Gala in 2024), with blush shoes underneath sheer bedazzled tights, takes the cake for innovation.

Hailee Steinfeld

Hailee Steinfeld had her breakout in True Grit while she was still quite young, so her shoe choice at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in 2011 was in keeping with that youthful aesthetic. Pretty pink princess gown plus red Converse high tops equals a great look.

Lizzo

Lizzo’s always making fun stylistic choices, down to the microdetails of her look—so literally writing the lyrics of her songs on her white sneakers is pretty par for the course (and extremely inspired). This was at the Q102’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2019, and you can just see “That’s the human in me” on the midsole.

Taylor Swift

This whole list could be populated with fun Taylor Swift shoe choices, but I’m actually going to go with her most talked-about Met Gala look from her appearance in 2016. The theme was “Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology” and her edgy look included these daring black gladiator sandals by Louis Vuitton.

Jill Kargman

Author and actor Jill Kargman had an inspired shoe choice at the 2024 Met Gala (theme: “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”). She explained to Town and Country that her gown’s inspiration was Corpse Bride, and these modernized Victorian pumps are the perfect complement.

Lil Nas X

Lil Nas X never goes by half measures, and the 2022 Grammys were no exception. The whole look was Balmain (from Fall 2012 and inspired by a Fabergé Egg, according to their website), and these gorgeous platforms with pearls and sparkles were a literal work of art.

Dan Levy

I often find myself wishing that male celebrities really went bold with their shoe choices, and Dan Levy answered my call at the 2021 Met Gala (“America: A Lexicon Of Fashion”). According to his Instagram, he bought an identical pair in 2010 as a fan of Jonathan Anderson—and the designer remade them for him to wear at the event.

Ruby Aldridge

Model Ruby Aldridge is doing the transparent PVC shoe trend better than just about anyone here. She’s at the Vogue Met Gala cocktail party in 2016, and while I don’t normally love the sheer shoe trend (it feels like it would be so uncomfortable!) a sliver on the side of this color-blocked shoe is the perfect way to do it.

Helena Bonham Carter

A wild shoe choice on the red carpet might be typical in this modern age, but when actress Helena Bonham Carter did it before everyone else (this is in 2011 at the Golden globe) in two mismatched shoes, it set the internet ablaze. And honestly, it still holds up!

Serena Williams

Heck yes, Serena Williams wore fashion sneakers to the 2019 Met Gala (“Camp: Notes on Fashion”)! These highlighter green Off-White x Nike sneakers matched her Atelier Versace gown but also were a huge nod to her tennis-playing mastery—and also, they were probably incredibly comfortable.

Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe always goes for a cool, graphic shoe (her fashion color scheme is often black and white, in an amazing way). This shoe is no exception. She was attending the 2023 Met Gala (“Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty”); her layered outfit was Thom Brown—she ended up in a sheer dress and black bra and underwear—and these towering boots were the icing on the cake.

Miley Cyrus

You may remember Miley Cyrus’ outfit more than her shoes at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards (she was in her most daring era, and her top consisted of some strips of fabric that kind of looked like overalls). But I’m quite partial to these gold and silver thigh-highs that perfectly encapsulate her general aesthetic.

Jennifer Lopez

J lo gives great shoe on the red carpet, and she isn’t afraid of a platform. This is at the 2019 Met Gala (“Camp: Notes on Fashion”) where she wore a beaded wig to match her Versace gown—and these iridescent heels ensured that she was literally shining from head to toe.

Beyoncé

Queen Bey has loved a detailed shoe for a long time. Case in point: these heels that she wore at the 2009 BET Awards while building her brand as a solo act. The beaded fringe is magnificent and very in keeping with the joyful, colorful style she was channeling in this era.

Cardi B

Cardi B goes full-on with her edgy couture looks, both on and off the red carpet. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but I happen to love these towering floral platforms from the 2018 American Music Awards. Her gown and topper were bursting with floral designs, so this floral shoe (which had a gorgeous reflective heel that picked up the red from the carpet) took it over the top.

Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington is attending the 2018 Golden Globes here in mesh, floral Roger Vivier booties. They made a few “best shoe of the night” lists at the time, and that honor holds up. Her dress was black and sparkly, allowing the beautiful footwear to take center stage.

Millie Bobby Brown

Millie Bobby Brown was still relatively early in her career when she showed up to the 2018 Golden Globes wearing these thoughtfully mismatched Calvin Klein kitten heels (which, honestly, is perfect for a star who was still a teen). They instantly established her as someone with tremendous fashion sense.

Zoë Kravitz

We’re a bit spoiled for choice when it comes to Zoe kravitz’s shoes over the years: She has great taste, and her quirky fashion sense means her choices are never boring. This is all the way back in 2017 promoting Big Little Lies at the 2017 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour, and Kravitz’s red dress is mirrored in the red shoes with gorgeous silver detailing in the heels.

Rose Bertram

Model Rose Bertram is at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival here in a pair of sky-high stilettos that literally look like a wrapped present. Cannes is a place to debut impressive and daring fashion, in much the same way as the Met Gala, and these heels are even more gorgeous than her red dress.

Karolina Kurkova

Model Karolina Kurkova was not the only one to debut these snake-like Giuseppe Zanotti heels (she’s at the “China: Through the Looking Glass” 2015 Met Gala). But she’s actually wearing a tiered, a-line red and gold mini dress, which allows the ropy detailing of the shoe to take center stage.

Jennifer Connelly

Jennifer Connelly’s fashion sense has always skewed feminine with a touch of “toughness” in an incredible way. She’s not the only one to pair a softer dress with a chunky black shoe (here at the 2016 Met Gala, “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology”), but these lace-up heels make the whole look appear elevated and cohesive.

Jeanne Cadieu 

Model Jeanne Cadieu, at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, is already wearing a bright pink Loewe dress with lips emblazoned on the front—but then she takes it up a notch with these gorgeous silver bow heels that were also worn by the model on the runway. In other words, the entire look is couture, and it’s gorgeous.

Billy Porter

Billy Porter isn’t afraid to have the most stunning, daring heels on the red carpet—and such is the case when he attended the A New Way Of Life 2022 Gala. He paired his gray cardigan and pleated skirt with these lace-up, Oxford-inspired heels, which were the statement piece of his look.

Solange Knowles

Booties with ice skate heels? Say more! (Also, were they easy to walk in??) At the 2017 Met Gala (“Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between”), Solange Knowles wore a padded Thom Browne winter coat—complete with long, flowing train—and, with these shoes, was the epitome of winter fashion.

Rihanna

Also attending the 2017 Met Gala, Rihanna took to the red carpet in these wildly high, lace-up heels. She’s far from the only one to try this style, but she’s pulling it off better than everyone else—her architectural Comme des Garçons dress required some drama on the bottom to complete the look.

Salma Hayek

At the 2021 Eternals premiere, Salma Hayek takes the red carpet trend of pretty metallic heels and dials it up to 11. Her dress was black with gorgeous gold sequins on the inner layer, so the gold in the shoe reflects back upon itself in incredible ways here.