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Born in the Canary Islands to a Spanish mother and a Czech father, he studied languages and art in Geneva before moving to Paris in 1965 where he decided to become a set designer. On a visit to New York in 1970, he showed his theatre designs to Diana Vreeland, then editor in chief of American Vogue, who honed in on his shoes and encouraged him to concentrate on them.
Blahnik learnt the art of making shoes by visiting factories where he talked to machine operators, pattern cutters and technicians. By 1971, he was in London making shoes. A year later, Ossie Clark, then the most famous designer in London, used his shoes and from there his career blossomed. In 1973 he opened his first shop in London's Chelsea.
Blahnik is a craftsman. The exquisitely shaped lasts and heels he creates for his shoes are still perfected with his very own hands. The lines and silhouette of his distinctive handwriting, however, remain instantly recognisable as unique, inimitable exercises in precision and balance, exquisite workmanship and luxury. "Shoes, "he says, "help transform a woman. "
From the flagship store in London, the label has expanded worldwide.
The United States has recognised Manolo Blahnik's exuberant brilliance over the years, with the CFDA honouring his talent with awards in 1987, 1990 1998. The British Fashion Council presented awards in 1990, 1999 and 2003, whilst his native Spain has presented him with La Aguja de Oro (2001) and La Medalla de Oro en Merito en las Bellas Artes, awarded by His Majesty Don Juan Carlos I, King of Spain.
In 2003, the Design Museum in London opened a major exhibition of his work. To coincide with this event, Thames & Hudson published Drawings, a collection of some of the best sketches Blahnik uses at the outset of the design process, and which are as coveted as the shoes themselves.
In 2005, his longtime friend Eric Boman published Blahnik by Boman (Thames & Hudson), a photographic celebration of Blahnik's shoes, with an introduction by Paloma Picasso, who they both met in the 1970s. Also in that year, he was asked by Oscar winning costume designer Milena Canonero to design the shoes for Sofia Coppola's movie, Marie Antoinette for which the latter won an Academy Award for Best Costume.
In November 2007, Manolo Blahnik was awarded an Honorary CBE in recognition of his status as one of the most successful and influential designers of our time. In September 2008 he was also presented with the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award.
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Last Updated: 4/10/2011
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