Famous men who wear stack heels

Simon Cowell, with a little help from his stack heels, is seen towering over arch-rival Louis Walsh in the background as the pair leave Harvey Nicks in Manchester. He certainly looks pleased with himself Photograph: Eamonn and James Clarke/PA

As French president Nicolas Sarkozy stands to attention, notice how his two-inch heels are giving him a little lift. Photograph: Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty

A common red carpet trick to gain height on one's colleagues: Bono sports the rubber sole. Photograph: Camilla Morandi/Rex Features

And it's not just a trick to pull at premieres: here U2 singer Bono wears his bulky shoes to meet President George Bush. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters/Corbis

No stranger to the flashbulb or the height debate, Tom Cruise's stature (naturally 5'7) seems to fluctuate against that of his 2in-taller wife, Katie Holmes, feeding suspicion that he wears shoes with concealed lifts. Such footwear can add up to 3in in height. Is Tom feeling their benefits here? Photograph: Gareth Cattermole/Getty

Now, it could be our imagination, but it looks as though Mel Gibson is either a) on tiptoes or b) wearing reinforced heels. Do we blame him? We can't help but feel he looks a little comical though Photograph: Chip East/Reuters

Mick Jagger proves that sportswear can incorporate stack heels too, upping his eyeline to nearly that of L'Wren Scott. Have you ever seen such a bizarre pair of Nikes as these patent wedges? Photograph: David Fisher / Rex Features/David Fisher / Rex Features