Says renowned women's footwear designer Blahnik, “Shoes help transform a woman”.
Anyone familiar with Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City or the UK comedy Absolutely Fabulous will also be familiar with the famous Manolo Blahnik women's shoes.
Manolo Blahnik - The Shoe Designer
Blahnik first opened his London flagship store in 1973 and has come along way since then. Born in 1942 in the Spanish Canary Islands, he and his sister grew up on the family banana plantation and were home schooled.
His Spanish mother and Czech father frequently visited Paris and Milan, where his father visited tailors and his mother bought clothes from her favorite designers. His interest in the fashion world at such an early age was promoted by these trips abroad and looking through his mother’s fashion magazines. “He initially learned the art of shoe making by watching his mother make her own footwear, using ribbon and lace,” according to aboutmen.com, “Men of the Week: Business – Manolo Blahnik.”
Despite having no formal training, Blahnik’s big break came in 1972 when he designed his first collection for famous London designer Ossie Clark. He had previously given up his studies in architecture and literature at the University of Geneva and worked briefly as a photographer, where he first rubbed shoulders with the elite of the London fashion world. He also had aspirations of becoming a theater designer but after presenting his footwear sketches to the editor-in-chef of Vogue, Diana Vreeland, was persuaded by her to concentrate on “the funny little things on the feet,” reports his official website. Visiting factories, Blahnik talked to machine operators, pattern cutters and technicians in order to study his craft.
The rest, as they say is history. Known for his impeccable eye for detail, after opening his flagship store in London’s fashionable Chelsea, Blahnik went from strength to strength. He opened a second store in New York and another in Las Vegas, and since then his shoes have been the favorite footwear of celebrities and socialites such as Princess Diana, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall, Kylie Minogue and Madonna. The American queen of pop once described her Manolo shoes as “better than sex and what’s more they last longer!”
In 2007, Blahnik was awarded the title of Commander of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honors List and was named Accessory designer of the Year by the British Fashion Council in 1990 and 1999. In 2003, he was honored with a retrospective exhibition of his drawings, memorabilia and collections at the Design Museum in London.
Manolo Blahnik Shoes
To own a pair of Manolo Blahnik woman's shoes is something a typical housewife or average twenty-something may only dream about. His footwear collection epitomizes sex-appeal and glamour. Working in conjunction with the world's top fashion designers, his shoes, known affectionately as “Manolos”, are worshipped by millions worldwide. Blahnik's footwear have been a prominent feature in many TV series and Hollywood movies, including Marie Antoinette, which won an Academy Award for Best Costume.
Manolo’s Killer Heels
Manolo Blahnik shoes range from the overtly sexy, with his skyscraper stiletto heels, to chic and sophisticated styles which somehow still ooze sex appeal. The shoes range from hundreds to thousands of dollars and often feature his trademark embellishments of feathers, pompoms, ribbons, bows, beads, lace and ribbons.
Famously known for his five-and-a-half-inch killer heels, in 2001 Blahnik had to take the statement literally as he “was forced to withdraw his latest outrageous prototype because of genuine fears that his razor-sharp stilettos were dangerous.” Says the Daily Mail’s article of 31 October 2001, “Manolo’s New Killer Heels.”
Manolo Blahnik Spring/Summer 2008 Collection
- A key feature of Manolo’s Autumn/Winter 2007 women's shoe collection was hairy footwear, where he “mixed untreated hairy materials with leather in designs which are part stone-age part futuristic,” according to his website, “Collection – This Season.” Feathers are also a prominent feature of recent collections.
- One his most versatile pieces of footwear for 2008 is the gilded “Kati” heel, as featured by Hilary, 25th January 2008 on theshoegoddess.net is the “modern Cinderella slipper.”
- A wilder “Manolo” design is the double ankle-strap sandal with cut-out leather detail (reminiscent of jaws), which is typical of his structures which highlight strategic parts of the foot, in this case the ankle. His spring/summer women's collection focuses heavily on these, and the back of the foot. This includes his Spring/Summer 2008 Istanbul architecture inspired designs, created after his recent trip to Turkey.
- For his men’s footwear designs, Blahnik has also given a new twist to the classic Oxford by incorporating open heels and bright colors including blues and lime green. The new Spring and Summer men's shoe collection will be available at Manolo Blahnik boutiques from February 2008.
Blahnik presents a collection of 15 limited edition reissues of his favorite women's footwear styles over 30 years, on Style.com.
Gill Hart - Gill Hart is a fashion and image professional who specializes in women's fashion over 50.
