Widely recognised as one of the most esteemed shoe designers in the world, Manolo Blahnik is admired for his creations of elegant and graceful forms. His notoriety reached an extraordinary level after the brand was repeatedly highlighted in the iconic American television series Sex and the City.
Manolo Blahnik has achieved a form of immortality in the fashion world. Entire generations of women revere his sophisticated and glamorous creations. Isabella Blow collected 120 pairs; Anna Wintour, who relies on the Callasli model, which Blahnik customised to meet her specific requirements; Bianca Jagger, Anjelica Huston, Paloma Picasso, and Diana Vreeland – the latter responsible for encouraging him to dedicate himself to footwear design – are among the figures who embraced his style.
Born in Santa Cruz de La Palma, in the Canary Islands, in November 1942, Manolo Rodríguez Blahnik is the son of a Spanish mother and a Czech father, a businessman. His mother, known for her refined taste, made a point of ordering clothes and magazines from abroad. It was publications like Harper’s Bazaar that introduced him to concepts of true elegance and beauty. Among his mother’s orders were also shoes that Manolo would wear until they became unusable.
The fascination with shoes was present from the very beginning. However, despite this passion, he never considered making it a career. Manolo began his university studies in Geneva, focusing on Politics and Law, but quickly changed direction, opting for Literature and Architecture. Later, he moved to Paris, where he studied Art and Set Design in 1965, before settling in London in 1969. After moving to the UK capital, he started writing for Vogue Italia and began working at Zapata, a London boutique.
It was during this period that the famous encounter with Diana Vreeland, then editor-in-chief of Vogue America, took place. In fact, it was in 1970, during a trip to New York, that Manolo had the opportunity to present his theatrical and scenographic designs to the incomparable editor. Vreeland’s keen eye fixed on the shoes and, with her unquestionable authority, encouraged him to dedicate himself exclusively to them. Inspired by her advice, Manolo decided to deepen his knowledge of footwear craftsmanship, becoming a true artisan. He learned directly from the masters of the trade: machine operators, pattern cutters, and factory technicians, perfecting every detail of the creation process.
Shoe production began in 1971, interestingly, with the creation of men’s footwear. Shortly after, however, Blahnik decided to take a new direction, considering the segment somewhat limited and realising the vast potential to explore his creativity in the women’s sector. His instincts proved right, achieving great success with his women’s shoe designs. Later, the TV series Sex and the City propelled the brand to the status of a coveted object – the shoes gained prominence as they were adored by the main character, played by Sarah Jessica Parker. The global admiration for the brand is so profound that Madonna once claimed that wearing one of his shoes “is better than sex.” Blahnik, with his good humour, responded: “Of course, it lasts longer.” This irreverent and creative spirit remains his signature. After a career in Architecture, Kristina Blahnik, Manolo’s niece, joined the company in 2009. A few years later, in 2013, she took on the role of CEO, bringing to the brand her exceptional eye for detail and successfully merging her architectural roots with her business acumen. At the time, the company was led by Manolo and his sister, Evangelina. Today, the brand, which has now existed for over half a century since its founding, employs more than 250 people and, last year, acquired a new headquarters and a new showroom in London. Kristina still maintains a close working relationship with her uncle, who continues to be the company’s creative director and chairman.
