My friend Marlene Curtis’ face was transfixed with horror as I showed her my cupboard full of designer shoes. A tinge of guilt washed over me, but not for long. You see, I pride myself on being able to buy the most opulent styles for less than half price at my favourite discount shops. “How many pairs of shoes  do you really need?” she asked. Obviously, she is missing the point – it is not a need, it’s a want.  I want them, I don’t need any of my 30 pairs of designer shoes. 

So why are women, regardless of their socio-economic status, so obsessed with luxury designer (overpriced in my opinion) shoes? Some women would rather invest in a pair of Christian Louboutins, which on average retail at around £700.00 a pop – and go without the most basic things like food or transportation, just so they can buy a pair of these shoes.

I think I know. A new pair of designer shoes can really make you happy. According to Valerie Steele, PhD, director of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, shopping, including buying shoes can be empowering. “Buying a new pair of shoes, or something even as small as a lipstick, resonates with the idea that we are loved, because it is a kind of gift we give to ourselves. It may also make us feel renewed, transformed,” she said in an article on Oprah.com. For women, nice shoes can certainly keep depression and sadness at bay, instead giving us a boost of self-worth – we deserve it – and joy. 

Some famous Black women who love their shoes include Oprah Winfrey who has 400 pairs and Beyonce with 300. Meanwhile, Mariah Carey has more than 1,000 pairs of shoes. She admitted in a 2011 interview with Economy and Style magazine that she probably has a lot more in storage and  in  her “special” closet in her home.

All of this translates into a thriving industry. According to Data Bridge market research, the global women’s footwear market was valued at USD $30.5 billion (£24,19b) in 2023 and is projected to reach USD $44.04 billion (£35.28b) by 2031, growing annually by nearly 5%. 

My friend’s daughter, Schanice Ramsay, admits to feeling like an ‘it girl’ whenever she steps into one of her Louboutin’s, but has other luxury brands too. She chooses to wait for the sales to purchase them, she explains.

 “They are so expensive to buy that it’s almost like owning an expensive oil painting or something really special. There’s a feeling of triumph when you have finally saved enough money to buy even one pair. Just looking at them, the workmanship, the colour and that distinctive red sole that says you have arrived.” 

Ramsay, like many young Black women of her generation, echo these sentiments of feeling a sense of well-being and empowerment when strutting around with high end shoes.

They may not be the most comfortable either but then, that’s not their primary purpose, Ramsay says. “They make your feet look sexy and elongate your legs, forcing you to walk in a particular – some may argue ‘very feminine’ way, placing one foot carefully in front of the other, like the models do it. 

“My favourite ones are the Lilac Jimmy Choo’s. If I was to sum it up in one word how I feel when I am wearing them. I would say “fabulous,” says Ramsey. And, she takes great care of her “investments,” wrapping and re-boxing them after each wear, so that they’re in good enough shape for her to sell or swap.  

I know by now you must be thinking what you can do if you cannot afford to pay those hefty prices for a pair of designer shoes, but want to feel good for one evening at least. You can do what I do and scour discount shops for bargains. Another  great option is to rent them from one of the several platforms out there like, By Rotation.