Platform boots from a costume worn by Nona Hendryx of Labelle
- On View
- Musical Crossroads Gallery
- Museum Maps
- Objects in this Location
- Exhibition
- Musical Crossroads
- Designed by
- Blakely, Dorian
- Worn by
- Hendryx, Nona, American, born 1944
- Subject of
- Labelle, American, founded 1962
- Date
- 1974
- Medium
- plastic, synthetic fiber, leather, metal, batting, and Velcro™
- Dimensions
- H x W x D (a): 19 × 9 1/4 × 3 3/4 in. (48.3 × 23.5 × 9.5 cm)
- H x W x D (b): 18 × 3 3/4 × 9 3/8 in. (45.7 × 9.5 × 23.8 cm)
- Description
- 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. 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.
- This costume is very similar to a costume worn by Hendryx during a performance at the Metropolitan Opera House on October 6, 1974.
- Place used
- Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, Manhattan County, New York, United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Clothing - Costume
- Movement
- Afrofuturism
- Type
- boots
- Topic
- Clothing and dress
- Costume
- Costume design
- Design
- Disco (Music)
- Funk (Music)
- Rhythm and blues (Music)
- Rock and roll (Music)
- Singers (Musicians)
- Soul (Music)
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Nona Hendryx of Labelle
- Object number
- 2014.246.2.5ab
- Restrictions & Rights
- No Known Copyright Restrictions
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.