The record for height must go to the Chopine of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, which went up to 30 inches high. Ladies had to have two maids to hold on to each arm; otherwise, they would fall when wearing chopines. In 16th century England, if a bride falsified her height by wearing Chopines, her husband was entitled to an annulment.

This collaboration with Majorica is part of Luis Valenzuela’s 2023 collection inspired by the Chopines, a platform shoe popular in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. Chopines were originally used as a clog or overshoe to protect the shoes and dress from mud and street soil. You can find this description online or in books, but let’s get deep into Chopine’s concept.

From the Chinese tradition of lotus shoes for bound feet to the 20th-century stiletto, fabulous footwear is often shaped by social convention, and the Chopine was no exception. Nearly 500 years ago, these sky-high, geometric platforms were created to fulfill the desire to be exposed and showcase familial wealth in parts of Spain and Venice, where Chopines were used to convey their family’s wealth and the region’s more considerable influence. Chopines were popularly worn in Venice by courtesans and patricians from c. 1400 to 1700. Although the Chopine was a 16th-century form of footwear, it has classical antecedents. We can trace the wearing of platform shoes back to Greece and find a long tradition in antiquity of women wearing this footwear style. The Romans were significantly influenced by Greek fashion, and Roman women also wore platform footwear of a modest height. Most people just realized that very recently, everything desirable in Western style came from the Near East, the Middle East, and the Far East.  Valenzuela finds it fascinating that history is constantly repeating. Throughout his recent creations, Valenzuela invites one to talk about that desire’s future, the expectation of being relevant in any like mind’s groups.

This piece was created with a contemporary touch using recycled materials, Majorica Pearls, and SWAROVSKI Crystals to embellish the magnificent shape of a unique part of fashion history, the Chopines.