Chopine
The Venetian shoe on a sole that could be more than half a metre high.
The chopine kept the feet above the dirt of the street, but its height was above all a sign of wealth: the higher the shoes, the more precious fabric was needed for the skirt that covered them.
The highest were so tall that women needed servants to lean on to walk. The chopine is an early example of a shoe designed more for status than for walking.
Materials: Cork or wood, covered in velvet, silk or leather
Manufacture: Made by shoemakers in Venice and other cities in Italy and Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The tall sole, often of cork, covered in fabric.
The upper of velvet or silk.
Decoration of lace, embroidery or studs.