Platform boots from a costume worn by Nona Hendryx of Labelle
date: label: Date
content: 1974
name: label: Designed by
content: Dorian Blakely
label: Worn by
content: Nona Hendryx, American, born 1944
label: Subject of
content: Labelle, American, founded 1962
notes: label: Description
content: 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).
label: Description
content: 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. The uppers of the foot and the leg covers are made from a single layer of black leather. An additional piece of black leather is wrapped around padding and sewn along the top edge to form a three-dimensional decorative element. The leather is decorated all over with convex silver rounded metal nail head studs. The covers close up the center back with a silver metal zipper. There are two (2) studs in the bottom of the right shoe (b), one on the back edge of the ball of the foot, the other on the outer edge of the heel. There is a stamp on the insole of the right shoe (b) that reads "Oran[ge?]" in white print.
label: Description
content: This costume is very similar to a costume worn by Hendryx during a performance at the Metropolitan Opera House on October 6, 1974.
place: label: Place used
content: Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, Manhattan County, New York, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Costume
label: Topic
content: Costume design
label: Topic
content: Design
label: Topic
content: Disco (Music)
label: Topic
content: Funk (Music)
label: Topic
content: Rhythm and blues (Music)
label: Topic
content: Rock and roll (Music)
label: Topic
content: Singers (Musicians)
label: Topic
content: Soul (Music)
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Costume
label: Movement
content: Afrofuturism
label: Exhibition
content: Musical Crossroads
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 053
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Nona Hendryx of Labelle
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2014.246.2.5ab
objectType: label: Type
content: boots
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: plastic, synthetic fiber, leather, metal, batting, and Velcro™
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (a): 19 × 9 1/4 × 3 3/4 in. (48.3 × 23.5 × 9.5 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (b): 18 × 3 3/4 × 9 3/8 in. (45.7 × 9.5 × 23.8 cm)