Details

Object type

boot

Date

circa 1970-1980

Materials

leather

Description

Man's boot or platform boot, only one, with red-orange leather upper. Round toe and plain vamp extending Cromwell-style centre front. Quarters extending to lower calf. Platform sole covered in horizontal bands of gilt, red-orange, blue-green, silver, blue, white, gold and purple leather. High stacked leather heel. Leather sole and top piece.

Worn by Elton John during a stage performance.

Modern platform shoes were introduced by Roger Vivier in the mid-1930s for ladies wear and were worn by Hollywood stars, including Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland and most notably, Carmen Miranda, who wore extreme examples. The style was re-introduced in 1967 for both men’s and women’s footwear as part of Glam fashion, with extreme examples worn by David Bowie and Elton John with up to 18 cm (7 inch) soles.

ID Number

TEMP.8344

Location

Riverside Museum Main Exhibition Area