Manolo Blahnik
Manuel "Manolo" Blahnik Rodríguez (/məˈnoʊloʊ ˈblɑːnɪk/;[1] born 27 November 1942) is a Spanish fashion designer and founder of the eponymous high-end shoe brand.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Blahnik and the second or maternal family name is Rodríguez.
Manolo Blahnik
Fashion designer
Manolo Blahnik
Early development[edit]
One of Blahnik's greatest inspirations was his mother.[11] She studied fashion magazines and interpreted the latest fashion trends on her clothing. Blahnik and his family often travelled to Paris and Madrid to order clothes. His mother was always dissatisfied with the shoes from their hometown so she made her own. She learned the rudiments of her craft from a local Canary Island cobbler and, as a boy, Blahnik loved to watch his mother when she made beautiful shoes. He has inherited his mother's love for brocade and satin fabrics and recounted how, as a boy, he found a trunk filled with shoes by the famous Russian, Pierre Yantorny, all made from silks, antique lace and brocades trimmed with delicate buckles. All were light, elegant and feminine, attributes Blahnik later brought to his own designs.[12]
When Blahnik was attending university he lived with his aunt and uncle. Meanwhile, his aunt deeply influenced his fashion sense and style. He refined his tastes and learned to appreciate the beauty of luxury, art, and happiness and beauty. Blahnik recalled that, according to his aunt, "happiness was having the single most elegant handbag ever made, in every color available."[13]
Shoes[edit]
Blahnik never studied shoemaking formally.[11] He learned the skills by visiting shoe factories and talking to pattern cutters, technicians, and machine operators. At first, he designed men's footwear, but he immediately found that men's shoe design limited his imagination and lacked the element of fashion so he focused on women's shoes. When mainstream shoe styles were still dominated by clunky platforms in the 1970s, he revived the sleek stiletto heel. Also, he dislikes wedges and believes in the power of heels and the sex appeal they convey.[14]
Filmography[edit]
Blahnik is the subject of the 2017 documentary film: Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards, written and directed by Michael Roberts.