Where do stilettos come from and why are they so popular?

STILETTOS - shoes with a thin heel - the invention of the XX century and the symbol of femininity. The name “stiletto” was chosen due to the similarity in appearance with the thin Italian dagger - stiletto.

The vertiginous heel was invented in the 1950s. The main goal for the shoemakers at that time was to achieve the construction which would prevent ankle twists and distribute the body weight evenly. For these reasons the top of the heel has to be much wider than the bottom. Some people credit Salvatore Ferragamo with this creation, some Roger Vivier or André Perugia.

One of the biggest fans of Salvatore Ferragamo was Marilyn Monroe whose catwalk was especially attractive thanks to these long heels. In the early 1960s non-celebrities started to look up to Hollywood stars and stilettos became a part of the mass market.

Heels were experiencing another surge of popularity in the 1990s-early 2000s thanks to the iconic TV show “Sex and the City”. For anyone who has ever watched the show, it’s hard to deny that it was just as much about style—and one shoe brand in particular—as love, passion or friendship. Perhaps the most everlasting love of all wasn’t an infamous boyfriend, but the artful masterpieces created by the Spanish footwear designer Manolo Blahnik. Scenes from the show made every woman dream of a new pair of his beautiful creations.

In the 2000s nobody could be surprised by these classic essentials. 30 cm heels like Armadillo in the Spring/Summer collection of Alexander McQueen worn by Lady Gaga and Daphne Guinness drew attention to stilettos again.

Different stiletto styles can always be seen in fashion collections of different brands and some are specialised in making high thin heels - designers like Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin. Thanks to such brands high heels are associated with women who are not afraid to be themselves.