How the Stripper Heel Went From the Main Stage to the Met Gala

The PVC "Pleaser" shoe owes its legacy to dancers, designers, and Frederick's of Hollywood.

When Kim Kardashian shared a behind-the-scenes look at her 2024 Met Gala look, there was a surprise hidden underneath her Maison Margiela couture gown: a pair of gravity-defying clear platforms, a.k.a. "Pleaser" shoes.

However, Kardashian was far from the first (and no doubt not the last) to wear a stripper heel to The First Monday in May. Lady Gaga donned lace-up Pleaser-style boots to the 2016 Gala. And Janelle Monae, Doja Cat, and more have followed in the "Bad Romance" singer's PVC-clad footsteps up The Met stairs in the years since.

High society and transparent footwear might seem like a head-scratching combination. But storied houses and fashion brands have used the shoe as inspiration, putting PVC details and vertigo-inducing platforms on runways and retail stores worldwide. The style has firmly cemented itself in the world of pop culture, stepping on the necks of naysayers and becoming a regular fixture on red carpets while maintaining its reputation as a go-to shoe for dancers.

New York-based stripper Meadow explains that clear platforms are a mainstay for performers because of form and function. "I frequently dance in clear PVC shoes! Primarily because I love the way they look, and they match with any outfit," she explains. "The clear heel is one of the most recognizable and iconic fashion symbols of the strip club. It’s timeless."

Dimly lit stages, Jennifer Lopez's magnum opus Hustlers, and the possibility of blisters are what many people first associate with ankle-breaking clear platforms. And Meadow admits that she's often met with raised eyebrows when she insists that the sky-high stripper heel is easy to wear, but they’re work shoes because they work. The Pleaser is, first and foremost, designed for dancing, which explains how Gaga can wear them for an entire choreography-packed show and why dancers continue to favor them for performances.

"They’re also really comfortable," Meadow adds. "But nobody believes me when I tell them this. My work heels are much more comfortable than most of the heels I wear outside of the club."

The Pleaser owes some of its crossover appeal to the legendary Frederick's of Hollywood. Bridging the gap between stripping and fashion, the lingerie megabrand had its flagship location at the iconic Kress Building in Los Angeles for nearly 60 years, offering both dancers and up-and-coming stars a place to shop for shoes and other necessities. Its proximity to Hollywood also made Frederick's a go-to for photographers and stylists who needed an extra dash of sex appeal for photoshoots.

Ellen Olivier, a contributing writer for the Los Angeles Times and Frederick's of Hollywood’s media relations manager from the 1980s to the early 2000s, remembers that it wasn't just actresses, dancers, and models wearing the PVC pumps. Women across America would order the shoes from the brand’s famed catalog because of their versatility.

“Clear shoes and platform shoes were always popular with people who wanted to look sexy down to their toes—literally,” she says. “In the 1990s, Frederick’s of Hollywood’s shoes had a sudden spike in popularity with stylists, celebrities, and world-famous photographers. I can still picture my all-time favorite photo: a double-page spread by Herb Ritts for Vanity Fair of Nicole Kidman in a bubble bath wearing a pair of Frederick’s of Hollywood’s clear high heels.”

Allison Olmstead, who worked with Olivier at Frederick’s, adds that clear platform shoes are one of the fashion industry’s great equalizers. Both men’s publications, which often featured sexed-up and exaggerated shoots, and more traditional fashion magazines requested the same heels you can buy today for $65.

"I remember sending David LaChapelle and Helmut Newton dozens of clear shoes. They were huge fans of Frederick's of Hollywood, and they'd use them for shoots for the top magazines," she says. "We'd send them to Maxim, Detour, Details, and Rolling Stone—everyone wanted them. We got them on Nicole Kidman, Alicia Silverstone, Rebecca Romijn, Cameron Diaz, and Lil' Kim. They were a go-to for fashion photographers and stylists because they go with everything."

Olivier draws a clear line from the biggest names of the aughts all the way to Kim Kardashian’s Met Gala shoe choice this year. "All the photos of supermodels and celebrities in Frederick’s of Hollywood shoes in the 1990s had to have an effect on clear shoe and platform shoe sales,” she explains of the Pleaser's lasting influence.

Giuseppe Della Badia, creative director and founder of luxury Italian accessories brand Gedebe, agrees that the high-watt glamour associated with stripping has a lot to do with the shoe's appeal. His label—which creates everything from custom looks for Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour to eye-wateringly tall oxblood pumps for Nicola Coughlan's London Bridgerton premiere—often combines sheer details and massive platforms. Gedebe designs are both alluring and audacious—two things that just about any performer wants in a shoe.

"I think that a transparent layer on foot is a very seductive element for a woman, and probably the reference to the world of exotic dancers adds a touch of audacity, particularly when combined with a platform design," Della Badia explains. "That's what I really like about a PVC platform design. You can incorporate it with cool outfits or evening dresses."

The Pleaser's allure goes beyond sex appeal—though it's hard to deny they elongate the leg in a way other heels can't. Fellow footwear designer Marina Larroudé, who likewise sells clear, stripper-inspired styles at her namesake label Larroudé, adds that see-through shoes are uniquely and universally flattering. They take the confusion out of getting dressed by matching anything—and Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Coolidge, and Salma Hayek can attest to the brand's appeal and all-occasions styles.

"It gives the illusion of being barefoot, but with height. It elongates the legs, and being colorless, it goes with every outfit," Larroudé explains. "It's so easy and practical to style. We use straps in sandals to give the illusion of being barefoot, and we also use acrylic heels, which make it look like you are floating. Our Vivi sandal has been our best-selling style since we launched Larroudé.”

Celebrity stylist Maeve Reilly, who works with Megan Fox, Eva Longoria, and Jennifer Hudson, is also a fan. She claims that clear platforms are undeniably versatile and allow for her clients' clothes (and, in turn, her hard work) to shine.

"Clear heels work well with so many different looks because they just disappear—they let the outfit be the focal point," she says. "They're a sexy addition to any outfit, as they really lengthen the leg and draw the eye in."

Today, just about every red carpet includes a few pairs of see-through heels. Meadow has a bittersweet take on seeing her work shoe thrust into the world of entertainment. By popularizing the stripper heel, celebrities have exposed it to an entirely new demographic who may not understand the Pleaser's long history and its relationship to sex work.

"I have mixed feelings about stripper culture going mainstream. I have always been a fan of Lady Gaga and Lana Del Rey, and I think they have used elements of stripper culture very beautifully in their performances," Meadow says. "Years before I started dancing, I was inspired by Lana’s music video for 'Gods & Monsters,' which takes place partly in a strip club. A few other musicians I love are Summer Walker and Cardi B, who have both been open about their past working as dancers and allude to it within their music and performances."

It's easy to romanticize stripping thanks to performances at Coachella, where Lana Del Rey spun around on a stripper pole during "Candy Necklace," or Cardi and Megan Thee Stallion's rendition of "WAP" at the 2021 Grammys. But the Pleaser is so much more than the fantasy created by a larger-than-life see-through shoe. As Meadow puts it, dancing is a real job, and footwear is just a singular facet of it.

"It's partially a good thing that it's getting exposure, though some people get the wrong impression of stripping based on what they've seen on TV. A lot of what you see in movies and shows glamorizes the industry and doesn’t necessarily paint the full picture of the job and how difficult it can be," she says. "So, while I definitely enjoy some media and art that borrows from or portrays stripping, some of it feels appropriative and weird."

The Pleaser is most powerful when used as a tool for personal self-expression rather than a symbol created for public consumption. And Della Badia hopes that anyone sliding into his sexy designs (which go beyond just plastic and incorporate tulle and crystal netting for a similar effect) feel as great as he knows they look.

"Transparent and sheer shoes are extremely versatile," he says. "You can add a touch of boldness to your after-6 p.m. look, pairing PVC platforms to many outfits, from cocktails to special evening dresses. Find a balance between what you're wearing and your shoes—that will catch attention, for sure!"

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