PLATFORM

Platforms are renowned for their thick soles under the forefood, which allows the wearer to walk good and safe – even on 8 cm long heels! AROLLO platform boots have a sole strength of 6cm.

History:

In order to enhance stage presence, actors in ancient Greek amphitheatres were already wearing high plateau soles made from cork. Soon these kind of shoes were adopted to the female wardrobe. In Old Asia, incredibly high and clunky plateau soles made from wood were meant to prohibit women from moving around freely outside the house. In Europe, from the 15th century AD onward, plateau soles made of wood served as protection against mud. Unpaved streets in the urban centres then were usually covered with wet mud up to the ankles, so these soles shielded elegant shoes made of leather and velvet from the dirt.

Finally, the Chopine, the first cork plateau shoe came along.

Invented in Spain, the Chopine soon triumphed all across Europe. The first product placement in history can be attributed to playwright William Shakespeare who – in the beginning of the second act of Hamlet – has Young Hamlet note about one of the actors that by the “altitude of a chopine” he was coming “nearer to heaven”.

Recent:

Who won’t remember bands like ABBA or KISS? Especially the latter, have staged huge shows in sold-out concert halls all around the world and are notorious for their super-high plateau boots. Even if today plateau soles aren’t that high anymore as they used to be, a thickness of up to 6cm is quite common and still en vogue.