Museum object · Clothing - Costume
Platform boots from a costume worn by Nona Hendryx of Labelle
1974
Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, Manhattan County, New York, United States, North and Central America
Source catalog description
This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.
These boots are part of a costume worn by Nona Hendryx of Labelle. The costume consists of a headdress (.1), a cape (.2), silver studded black leather collar, breast covers, and codpiece (.3a-d), wrist cuffs (.4ab), platform boots (.5ab), prop handcuffs (.6), and a prop riding crop (.7). The two platform boots (.5ab) are both alike, made from modified open-toed ankle-strap platform heel shoes with customized uppers. The leg covers were permanently attached to the platform heel shoes, using small brads and larger flat-headed nails. The shoes have wooden platforms, black satin toe straps, and ankle straps. The ankle straps close at the outer ankle with a silver metal buckle. Black Velcro™ is nailed to each back side of the platform heel, with both sides of the Velcro™ stuck together and having an unclear purpose. Convex silver rounded metal nail head studs are nailed around all sides of the platform.
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Sources & collection details
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗
Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13
Catalog reference: 2014.246.2.5ab
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