Are shoes really closer to a girls heart than a man? Meet Hanna Sandling.

When a survey revealed that shoes have a greater hold over the average woman's heart than men do, I wasn't at all surprised. Absolutely nothing gets between me and my precious shoes - not even broken bones.

Last November, I fell off a cliff in Spain when I was rock climbing and wound up with my leg in plaster, but there was no way that I was going to let that stop me going to the Jimmy Choo sale. So I popped in on my way back from a hospital check-up - and bought five pairs.

This year, having booked in to get my wisdom teeth taken out, I've discovered that their sale starts on the same day. I've instructed my mother that the minute I'm discharged, she's to wheel me straight over to the shop, even if I am still woozy from the anaesthetic.

I just love my Jimmy Choos, and could not bear to part with any of them. They're the one thing I'd save if my house was burning down.

I've lost count of how many pairs of shoes I have, but there are probably 300 pairs at my house in London and another 400 pairs stored at my parents' house in the country.

I love the way that they are all like individual pieces of art that represent different eras of my life. As for why women assign more importance to them than they do to men, I think it's simple. Shoes don't care if you've gained a few pounds or haven't washed your hair; they're always going to fit you, however frumpy you're feeling. And you can totally transform your personality and mood by changing your shoes. Unlike men, they come with a feel-good guarantee. And you can totally transform your personality and mood by changing your shoes. Unlike men, they come with a fee-good guarantee.





Put on a pair of towering spiky-heeled stilettos and you're putting on a bit of Angelina Jolie. Pull on a pair of over-the-knee boots and you can conquer the world. Slip into some ballet flats and you're cute, girly and adorable.

They're yours and yours alone - your own little treasure. While women might share clothes, very few will share their footwear. They become moulded to you; a part of you, even. That's why men, who see shoes as purely functional, will never understand the emotional relationship that women have with their shoes. They say that there's a special relationship between a man and his dog that is rooted in loyalty and love. The same is true when it comes to women and their shoes.

Shoes will never talk back to you, they'll unquestioningly go anywhere with you, and they're absolutely guaranteed to make you feel amazing. Some women might argue that their shoes betray them, but that's only the case if you don't choose them very carefully.

I always buy shoes that fit me perfectly, because if they pinch you it shows - in your face and in your behaviour. An ill-fitting pair of shoes is like being with a really attractive man who treats you badly. Ultimately, they won't make you happy. Shoes have got to look and feel fabulous.

I recall buying every single pair of shoes that I own. They're not just shoes, they're like little art installations, creating an immediate impact. It's like having your own little Saatchi Gallery. In London, I keep my shoes on shelves in a secret wardrobe behind my clothes. They're all beautifully arranged in their original boxes, with a photo on the front for identification purposes.