Manolo Blahnik
Who? The designs that Madonna once called 'as good as sex' have become even more popular, receiving mass exposure as Sex and the City helped make Manolo Blahnik a household name. Like an old-school haute couturier, without any assistants or apprentices, Blahnik is solely responsible for the design of every one of his thousands of shoes. He never advertises or shows his collections, yet manages to attract women's attention all over the world.
How did it happen? Manolo Blahnik was born on November 28, 1942, in Santa Cruz de la Palma in the Canary Islands, to a Spanish mother and a Czech father. He and his sister Evangelina were educated at home and grew up on a banana plantation. His family frequently travelled to Madrid and Paris. Watching his mother make her own footwear, Blahnik was schooled very early in the art of shoemaking. After studying architecture and literature at university in Geneva, he abandoned his studies after a year and moved to Paris in 1965, where he joined the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the Ecole du Louvre for art and stage design. In 1970, Blahnik moved to London, found work in a boutique and became a photographer for The Sunday Times. While he was on a trip to New York in 1971, he was introduced to the then editor of Vogue, Diana Vreeland, who saw his portfolio of drawings and encouraged him to make shoes. After returning to London,
he began to design men's shoes for Zapata, an English label, which he soon found creatively limiting. His first break came when designer Ossie Clark asked him to design shoes for his catwalk collection. In 1973, Blahnik bought out Zapata's owner and set up his own shop with his sister.
One year later, he became the first man to appear on the cover of British Vogue. Slowly, he broke into the United States market in 1978, when he launched his collection for Bloomingdale's and opened his first store in the US. In 1980, his US business took off when he brought in George Malkemus from Bergdorf Goodman to run the company, while he and Evangelina remained in charge of the business in Europe. In the following years, he collaborated with designers such as Calvin Klein, Isaac Mizrahi, John Galliano, Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta, to name a few.
What do the shoes look like?
The 'Manolos', which symbolise expensive, timeless and beautifully crafted designs, all possess a hallmark feminine look. They are inspired by the works of couturiers Blahnik admires the most, including Yves Saint Laurent, Coco Chanel and Cristobal Balenciaga. His designs represent glamour and sex appeal and have become as famous as the women who wear them.
What does the designer have to say?
'The secret of toe cleavage is a very important part of the sexuality of the shoe; you must only show the first two cracks.'
Where are the shoes available?
Blahnik's designs are available at shop E38, The Peninsula Hotel, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2722 1298, and at shop 218, The Landmark, Central, tel: 2845 1567.
