- Helen Mirren says stripper heels boosted her red carpet confidence.
- Mirren bought platform heels from Hollywood Boulevard shop.
- She said heels helped match height with Nicole Kidman.
- Mattel released Barbie inspired by Mirren's Cannes look.
Helen Mirren, a veteran actor has confessed that the confidence she had initially at the red carpet was to be found on a very unlikely ground: platform heels purchased in a stripper shop in Los Angeles.
The 80-year-old celebrity told her tale in an interview with British Vogue as she sat in front row at London Fashion Week and recalled the hardships of her early years, maneuvering in Hollywood award circles.
Mirren explained that, when she started her career in Los Angeles, she used to experience physical overpowering at star-studded events. "It used to happen to me when I was just getting into the LA in-the-middle of awards and all these actresses would easily be Nicole Kidman and all these tall, beautiful, slim, gorgeous actresses and I was just this dowdy little five-foot-four girl in the midst of them."
Those days, she reasoned, towering platform heels were not in fashion in high street outlets and she had a short list of options available to her in order to add height.
One of the Discoveries in Hollywood Boulevard
"Platform heels were not on. Hence the best platform heel I could get was in the stripper shops of Hollywood Boulevard. It cost me $39.99, the first pair of stripper heels and they were magic," Mirren said. "Suddenly I was facing (5ft 11in) Nicole Kidman eye to eye."
She has addressed the issue on why she likes high platform. In an interview with Woman and Home magazine in 2010, she wrote: "Four-inch platforms make you so high and also the legs of the body appear extremely long. I could only get them before in stripper shops and now you can buy them anywhere but the bad thing is that everyone has already found the trick as well."
Mirren called the dramatic shoes her secret weapon that not only added the extra height, but also made her stand firmer on the red carpet.
Barbie Tribute a Style Signature
Her fondness of statement platforms was recognized once more in 2024 when Mattel produced a Barbie doll in the likeness. In 2023, the doll was recreated at the Cannes Film Festival, in a periwinkle Del Core dress, with a blue hair and her platform shoes.
When interviewed in British Vogue then, Mirren stated: "Bless the Mattel people, as they got me pump shoes on the nail." She then continued: "Diamond high heels Pleasers, they always served me well on red carpets, up to six inches of heel to the legs, and, as they were designed to serve as used by strippers, they can stand on, as well."
Mirren is not only recognized by her rapidly commended acting, but rather by her uninhibited fashion sense in her various decades of bringing confidence and a sense of irreverence to her wearing style. Her open memory provides a view into how a functional wardrobe decision aided her in the formation of her confidence within some of the most prominent Hollywood stages.
Recommended FAQs:
Why did Helen Mirren buy heels from a stripper shop?
Helen Mirren said she bought platform heels from a stripper shop on Hollywood Boulevard because tall platforms were not widely available in regular stores at the time. The shoes helped her match the height of other actresses and boosted her red carpet confidence.
What did Helen Mirren say about feeling intimidated in Hollywood?
Mirren recalled feeling physically overshadowed at early Los Angeles award events, standing at 5-foot-4 among taller actresses like Nicole Kidman. She said the towering heels allowed her to stand "eye to eye" with them.
How did stripper heels become Helen Mirren's red carpet signature?
Mirren described four- to six-inch platform heels as her "secret weapon." She said they not only added height but also improved posture and stability, helping her feel more assured at major events.
Was Helen Mirren honored with a Barbie doll?
Yes, Mattel created a Barbie doll inspired by Mirren's appearance at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The doll replicated her periwinkle gown and signature high platform heels.
What did Helen Mirren say about platform heels in her Vogue interview?
In an interview with British Vogue, Mirren said the shoes were "magic" and credited them with helping her project confidence on Hollywood's biggest stages.
