Designers Sketch Royal Wedding Shoes for Kate Middleton

March 1, 2011— -- Five of the world's most famous shoe designers have released sketches of what they envision on Kate Middleton's feet for the royal wedding.

Cesare Casadei was inspired by Middleton's elegance, likening her to a present-day Audrey Hepburn. He sketched a single-soled silk pump with jeweled straps and embroidered floral details. Regarding his design Casadei says, "I can see Kate dancing all night in this 'new tango' heel."

"I wanted to create something special with an intrinsic emotional value; something old and at the same time mirroring Kate's fresh modernity," Georgina Goodman tells Footwear News. Goodman designed an antique Welsh lace pump, covered in Scottish seed pearls. The British designer added: "I have aimed for a balance between history and femininity fitting the occasion."

Rene Caovilla added multicolor Swarovski gems to accent his white satin t-strap sandal design. The shoes, which he believes "suggest a magical atmosphere," are trimmed with marabou feathers.

"Jewelry for the feet is my DNA, so designing for a princess comes very naturally," says celebrity favorite, Guisseppe Zanotti. Opting for something a bit more opulent and risqué, Zanotti visualized the princess-to-be in a black satin sandal with a large sapphire centerpiece surrounded by diamonds.

With ivory silk and organza lilies of the valley in mind, one of the most famous shoe designers in the world, Manolo Blahnik, wanted his design to represent the freshness of spring.

See all the sketches on Footwear News.