Ballet shoes stained with blood that once belonged to British singer Amy Winehouse are now part of the collection of Ankara-based collector Özgür Çift, who purchased them for $3,900 at an auction in Los Angeles.

The shoes, marked with traces of blood, have drawn attention in the collectibles world due to their backstory, which later involved a legal dispute between the singer’s father, Mitch Winehouse and her stylists, as well as their historical significance and monetary value.

After news surfaced that the shoes were acquired by Çift, international collectors reportedly began offering as much as 500,000 pounds ($680,000) for them.

From auction to international spotlight

According to court documents from a lawsuit claiming that some of Winehouse’s personal items were sold without authorization, the iconic bloody ballet shoes were sold to Çift at a Los Angeles auction for $3,900. Subsequent research confirmed that the pair appeared in photos published in 2007 by the media.

Çift’s collection also includes over 100 other personal items of Winehouse, such as the red plaid corset she wore to the 2008 Brit Awards, a self-portrait drawn in kindergarten bearing her first known signature, and the main microphone she used on stage.

Tracing the shoes’ history

A collector of celebrity memorabilia for nearly 26 years, Çift told Anadolu Agency (AA) that he primarily participates in international auctions and has acquired numerous items from the film and music industries over the years.

He said the ballet shoes appeared in a 2023 Los Angeles auction organized by Winehouse’s stylists, though the catalog did not specify their era or any historical significance. Çift purchased the shoes at the time for $3,900.

"The story of the ballet shoes became clear only after extensive research following the purchase,” Çift said. "Amy Winehouse owned multiple pairs of ballet shoes during her roughly nine-year professional career and used them both in daily life and on stage. Some of her ballet shoes were previously sold officially by her family for charity. I initially considered these shoes as one of those items, but what set this pair apart was the degree of wear and the dense dried brown stains.”

Çift added that he meticulously reviewed paparazzi and magazine photos from the last five years of Winehouse’s life, ultimately matching the shoes to images taken after a 2007 argument with her then-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, outside a London hotel. "These images were widely circulated in the global press and sparked public debate. This match elevated the historical and emotional significance of the pair,” he said.

Increased international interest

Çift noted that after Winehouse’s death, her father and estate manager, Mitch Winehouse, filed a 730,000 pound ($970,000) lawsuit against close friends Naomi Parry and Catriona Gourlay for allegedly profiting from the unauthorized sale of some of her personal items. The ballet shoes were part of this case.

"Recent media coverage of the lawsuit has renewed attention to these shoes,” Çift said. "They represent the most turbulent period of Amy Winehouse’s life. Interest from collectors and museums worldwide has surged, with high-value offers coming from multiple countries. However, I do not view this item purely as a commodity. My priority is to exhibit these items to Amy’s fans internationally, preserving her memory rather than profiting from it.”

Collection of iconic memorabilia

Çift’s archive includes more than 100 personal items spanning Winehouse’s life. "I also have the red plaid corset she wore during her iconic 2008 Brit Awards performance of ‘Valerie,’ a self-portrait she drew in kindergarten and her main microphone, which she used in performances from 2007 until her last concert in Belgrade in 2011,” he said.

He highlighted the microphone as one of the most personal items in the collection. "Amy became a giant on stage through her voice and microphone. She brought it with her for her planned, ultimately canceled concert in Istanbul. Before her passing in London, Istanbul was the last city she visited,” Çift said.

He described the collection as more than a chronological inventory. "It tells a story through the objects marking different milestones in her life: a childhood drawing at age five, a modest blouse from her rising career, a custom-designed bustier from her peak, the iconic ballet shoes symbolizing personal turmoil and the microphone used in her final performance. Curatorially, it offers a tangible summary of a 27-year life through the traces left on objects.”