Manolo Blahnik began his extraordinary career in the Seventies and continues to be a champion of timeless and beautifully crafted designs. He was born in 1943 in the Canary Islands to a Spanish mother and Czech father. He studied art and literature at the University of Geneva, before moving to Paris in 1965 where he decided to become a set designer. It was during his trip to New York in 1971, Blahnik was introduced to Diana Vreeland, then the editor-in-chief of US Vogue, by Picasso. Once he had been persuaded to show her his sketches and after admiring the shoes he had on – a tiny Edwardian pair from Portobello Market – Vreeland insisted that he "should concentrate on the funny little things on the feet".
Blahnik learnt the art of making shoes by visiting factories where he talked to machine operators, pattern cutters and technicians. His first collection was designed for Ossie Clark in 1972 from then he never looked back in his life. In 1973, he opened Zapata, a boutique on Old Church Street in London which soon became regularly frequented by Bianca Jagger, Marie Helvin and Jerry Hall. Now universally known as ‘Manolo’s’, Blahnik’s shoes are coveted by a long list of famous clientele from celebrities to royalty. Madonna once described shoes designed by Blahnik as "better than sex" and added that, "what’s more, they last longer". Later, his name became synonymous when his designs took ‘supporting roles’ on the hit television shows Absolutely Fabulous and Sex And The City.
Manolo Blahnik has become one of the world most influential footwear designers. A craftsman with an impeccable eye for detail, Blahnik plays the major part in the creation of his designs, from the initial sketches to creating his own advertising campaigns which always feature in his drawings. The lines and silhouette of his distinctive handwriting however remain instantly recognizable as unique. In 2003, he was honored with a retrospective exhibition of his drawings, memorabilia and collections at the Design Museum in London.
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