Italian artisan crafts the world’s first 24-carat gold shoes costing £21,000

Italian cobbler Antonio Vietri has come up with a world first, 24-carat gold shoes. And they're a snip at just 25,000 euros (£21,000) for a pair.  Each pair is unique, made with 230 grams of gold and made to measure using 3D foot scanners. And these being no ordinary shoes, they are delivered by helicopter in a black lacquered box. Vietri, from Turin, thinks his blue or black suede moccasins with stitched gold-plated uppers will appeal to wealthy Arab customers from the oil-rich Gulf. He said: 'These are the first shoes in the world in 24-carat gold. The particularity of these shoes is that gold is not simply applied, it is not like an accessory or a button. Gold is an integral part of the shoe.'

He wove small strips of gold in by hand and then sews them in with leather to ensure the moccasin uppers are comfortable. Vietri is one of a wave of Italian producers seeking to tap into the high-end Gulf fashion market, particularly in states such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. His men's gold line was launched last year after eight months of prototypes and this year he is launching a women's range.
Vietri explained the difficulty of making gold shoes: 'The difficulty was in finding the right balance between the strength of the gold and the flexibility of the shoe.
'If the shoe is too light, the gold will bend. If the shoe is too heavy, it hurts.' 
Vietri - who also makes regular shoes with prices as low as 250 euros (£217) - has a range of luxury silk pumps decorated with pearls or diamonds.