We want to wish Manolo Blahnik a very happy birthday and we know we’re not alone in rejoicing the day that designer was born, well at least when he was old enough to hold a pencil.
Manolo, who is 67 today has done wonders for people’s shoe collections and is creations have been a favourite of the Sex and the City girls with his fabulous footwear appearing on a range of episodes.
One example that sticks in our minds is Season 3, Episode 17 when Carrie got mugged in an alley and the guy took her favourite pair of Manolo strappy sandals. Not the most cheerful but definitely the most poignant.
We remember her words to this day: “Please sir,” she pleaded. “You can take my Fendi baguette, you can take my ring and my watch, but don’t take my Manolo Blahniks.”
So what is it about the designer that makes him stand out?
Well ever since he first started his designing in 1970 Manolo has been solely responsible for the design and prototype of every shoe that bears his name. Working alone without apprentices or assistants, he sketches his shoes, chisels the wooden lasts on which they are moulded and sculpts the heels. He then supervises their production and even sketches the illustrations for his advertising campaigns.
He told his friend Michael Roberts in the 1970s that he achieved all his designs without any formal training as he “didn’t need it.” He said this was because he had “the best taste in the world.”
We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.
Happy Birthday Manolo, we’ll of course be baking you a stilletto shaped cake.
We’ve also put together a mini gallery of some of the designers creations. Click on the picture below to begin the gallery.
