At the Los Angeles premiere of The Lion King on July 9, 2019, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter arrived at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood wearing a custom Alexander McQueen look finished with crystal-covered pin-heel sandals.
Beyoncé wears a custom Alexander McQueen blazer dress and sheer gemstone-embroidered skirt with matching pin-heel sandals at The Lion King premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on July 9, 2019 (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)
Styled by Zerina Akers, Beyoncé’s custom outfit combined two Sarah Burton designs: a black-and-silver chandelier-embroidered blazer dress inspired by Alexander McQueen’s Fall 2019 Menswear collection and a sheer dégradé gemstone-embroidered skirt with a high slit drawn from the Pre-Fall 2019 collection. Lorraine Schwartz diamond jewelry and a matching Alexander McQueen box clutch completed the look.
McQueen was already familiar territory for Beyoncé. In her “Run the World (Girls)” music video, she wore pieces from Alexander McQueen’s Fall 2010 collection, including the extraordinary gold Grinling Gibbons thigh-high boots from the designer’s final collection.
Sarah Burton’s elaborate Alexander McQueen design covers Beyoncé’s black blazer in chandelier-inspired crystal embroidery, complemented by Lorraine Schwartz diamond jewelry
The shoes were custom Alexander McQueen open-toe sandals with slender stiletto pin heels and minimal straps densely covered in silver crystals. Their barely-there construction kept the silhouette delicate despite the heavy embellishment elsewhere in the look.
It wasn’t Beyoncé’s first memorable outing in McQueen footwear. In London in 2014, she wore the label’s striped snakeskin pumps on consecutive days, pairing the same pointed-toe heels with two very different outfits. The contrast with these custom 2019 sandals shows the range of McQueen shoes in her wardrobe, from graphic statement pumps to delicate evening heels.
Beyoncé’s custom Alexander McQueen open-toe sandals feature slender pin heels and minimal straps densely embellished with shimmering silver crystals
The sandals were made specifically for Beyoncé and were not released as a commercial Alexander McQueen style, making the exact pair unavailable to shoppers.
Her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, also wore custom McQueen for the premiere, choosing a miniature tuxedo-inspired dress with coordinating shoulder embellishments and a sheer tulle skirt.
A thigh-high slit and sheer embellished skirt reveal Beyoncé’s strappy Alexander McQueen heels, while the long tulle train adds movement to the red-carpet silhouette
As of August 2026, Beyoncé’s exact custom crystal sandals were not available for retail, but shoppers could still browse a wide selection of Alexander McQueen sandals at Farfetch, including crystal-embellished, metallic, sculptural, and strappy evening styles. Prices and availability vary.
Why Crystal Sandals Remain a Red-Carpet Favorite
Beyoncé’s custom Alexander McQueen heels show why crystal sandals have such staying power on the red carpet: the embellishment works almost like jewelry for the feet, catching camera light while slender straps keep the silhouette delicate. Designers including Aquazzura, René Caovilla, Casadei, and Giuseppe Zanotti have approached the idea in different ways, from barely-there crystal straps to jeweled ankle wraps and more dramatic embellished heels.
The styling can be just as varied. Crystal sandals can echo the embellishment of a heavily decorated gown, add shine beneath a simple dress, or become the focal point when a slit or shorter hem puts the shoes on display. These celebrity looks offer more ways to wear the idea:
✨ More Ways to Style Crystal Sandals Heels:
- 💎 See how celebrities including Nicky Hilton, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicole Kidman, and Bella Thorne style Aquazzura Tequila heels, whose curved crystal straps bring jewelry-like sparkle to everything from sequined minis to evening gowns.
- 🖤 Compare Lele Pons’ Casadei crystal-cuff heels with Anna Decade’s René Caovilla crystal-wrapped sandals for two very different takes on jeweled footwear, from an architectural ankle cuff to delicate straps winding up the leg.
- 💜 Chrissy Teigen pairs Aquazzura Moonwalk crystal sandals with a sheer lilac Georges Hobeika couture gown, using a hip-high slit to keep the embellished ankle detailing visible.
- 🌸 Ana de Armas chooses nude Aquazzura Milagros sandals with a romantic Rodarte look, showing how crystal-covered straps can add sparkle without introducing another strong color.
- 🐍 Bella Hadid, Miley Cyrus, Gal Gadot, and other stars show the enduring appeal of René Caovilla’s Cleo sandals, recognizable by their jeweled straps and signature crystal-covered coil wrapping around the ankle.
- ✨ Britney Spears goes all-in on shine with René Caovilla Arabesque heels and a glittering mini dress, demonstrating how embellished sandals can reinforce rather than soften a high-impact evening look.
- 💫 Jenna Dewan coordinates Swarovski-embellished Giuseppe Zanotti sandals with a crystal-covered Azzaro mini dress, carrying the sparkle from the dress all the way down to her feet.