How far would you go to reach the pinnacle of fashion? While the current craze for heel-less, 'anti-gravity' shoes might seem avant-garde, or even dangerous, women have worn challenging footwear for centuries. In fact, though most think Lady Gaga's stilted look started the latest anti-gravity trend, the pop star's platforms were actually inspired by elaborate 16th-century chopines.
Nearly 500 years ago, these sky-high platform shoes were designed to showcase familial wealth in parts of Spain and Italy, and were sometimes so tall they required two servants to help someone walk in them. Collectors Weekly spoke with Elizabeth Semmelhack, a curator at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, about the origins of the chopine trend and the lengths (or heights) humans go to showcase their status.
(thanks Hunter
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