The Power of Platform Shoes

Is there anything more uplifting than a platform shoe? With their exaggerated soles and commanding steps, there is a playfulness to the experience of wearing them. Perhaps that’s why Jenna Ortega, star of Netflix’s comedy-horror, Wednesday, opted to wear a pair for the MTV Music & TV Awards with an abbreviated LBD. And, also why designers chose to reinvent the retro-classic for FW22 and on into SS23. After all, who can resist the urge for footwear that elicits a smile—and what simpler responsibility might fashion have than to give us that?

One designer who has favored the heightened design, regardless of trend cycles, is longtime sustainability advocate, Stella McCartney. Using cruelty-free vegan leather for her Elyse platform shoes and recyclable Loop sneakers (both now considered signatures), the British designer’s propensity for pumped-up footwear comes down to this: “I’ve always looked to humor to keep me sane and not take the world of fashion too seriously. When you’re dealing with important subjects, like the ethical treatment of animals and the environment, sometimes you’ve got to lighten the touch and find positivity,” she has said, “otherwise the issues we’re facing get really depressing.”

To some degree or another, it’s that same need for a lightheartedness that resonates with women weighing up their wardrobe choices for spring. Now considered wardrobe essentials, thanks to designers from Tory Burch to Versace, the platform shoe’s reach extends across subcultures and trends within the singular trend. Case in point: Rick Owens’ retro-futuristic clog platform or Bottega Veneta’s elevated rainboots. Hailey Bieber’s affinity for the style, meanwhile, has also amped up their popularity factor. She has paired her towering heels with a houndstooth blazer dress and signature micro-sunglasses. Meanwhile, the Dua Lipa x Puma partnership is a testament to the desirability of platform sneakers with TikTok’s favorite shopper, Gen Z.

But don’t be fooled into thinking these vertiginous essentials are a relatively new phenomenon. Their appearance extends further back than the relatively recent 70s-era most of us can imagine (where they made the ideal accompaniment to flared pants). Indeed, from Japanese getas to Middle Eastern kebabs, platform shoes have been used throughout the ages as a practical measure to prevent clothes from gathering street dirt. More recently, in the 1930s—with impending war and rationed materials—necessity saw leather soles switched for raised cork or wood, which complemented the wide-shouldered look of the time. Fast forward to the 90s and 00s for a minute, and platform shoes came into their own as a symbol of women’s empowerment; no longer in ways where she had to emulate a man, but with femininity, beauty, and a powerful sense of fun (remember the Spice Girls, anyone?). A rebellion against the status quo, indeed.

Today, there is still a huge attraction to the idea of being lifted above the fray. And when it’s delivered in an easy-to-digest trend with the cartoonish appeal, what’s not to love? Whether you’re drawn to the stompy nostalgia of Melissa’s Possession Plato Jelly Platform Sandal or the beautiful eccentricity that belies Simone Rocha’s balletic Turbo Tracker Platform heels, the message this season is clear: put on a platform shoe, kick up your heels and enjoy life.

Shop our edit of designer platforms for women, here.