The Nasty hitmaker is preparing for her comeback trek, her first in four years, in Vancouver, Canada on 31 August (15), and she will be hitting the stage in some very special footwear.

Zanotti reveals he was approached to create a one-of-a-kind pair of multi-coloured sneakers for Jackson, and he was "flattered" to work with the music icon.

He tells WWD.com, "Janet is a close friend of mine - we have been close for a long time and I have always felt the greatest affection for her. She has always been a very loyal supporter of the brand and product.

"She talked to me about her upcoming Unbreakable World Tour when we were together in Milan earlier this year, (and) she asked me to consider making her a special shoe for the tour. Of course, I was... very flattered and I immediately started to sketch some ideas out for her."

Zanotti, who has previously created tour looks for Rihanna and FKA Twigs, will also be kitting out Jackson's back-up dancers and singers with luxury shoes for the live shows.

He continues, "We are frequently asked to provide special shoes for celebrities on tour, (but) this is the first time we are the only luxury shoe company involved."

Jackson recently halted rehearsals for the shows so she could tend to her father, Joe Jackson, following his hospitalisation for a stroke and heart problems in Brazil at the end of July (15). The tour is still scheduled to go ahead as planned later this month (Aug15).