The term stiletto—an Italian word for a thin blade—originally referred only to a slender heel. Today, it is more commonly used to describe a high-heeled shoe as a whole.

According to a theory by Bruno Frisoni, creative director of the French luxury accessories brand Roger Vivier, fashion's obsession with thinness may have led to the introduction of the stiletto heel in the early 1950s. Another theory attributes the invention to his competitor, the Italian shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo, also known as the "shoemaker to the stars." His clients include Marilyn Monroe, Gloria Swanson, and Bette Davis.