Stilt shoes of a Manchu Woman
Origin: China
Date: End of the Quing Manchu Dynasty (1644 - 1912)
Lender: Staatliche Museums Berlin, Ethnological Museum
Status & Power
Doc Martens
Originally developed as comfortable and solid work shoes, Doc Martens first became characteristic of English skinheads and later a symbol of the punk movement.
"Shoe me your shoes and I'll tell you who you are" (saying)
This saying applies to the past as well as today. The model, shape, color and decoration of shoes often shows the status or position of the wearer. They also reflect his economic, social, institutional or religious standing. With his shoes, a wearer can distinguish himself from others and display a certain group identity..
High Shoes
Living on high shoes
In certain epochs, shoes with high heels or elevated soles indicated the status of the wearer. Because these shoes also changed the way the person walked, one’s gait also became a characteristic of class or position.
In China, aristocratic Manchu women wore plateau shoes. The height of the soles as well as the typical tripping gait signalized the social standing of the woman.
