The Art of the Shoe

Manolo Blahnik is on a slight whirlwind tour these days, celebrating his 40 years in business and a new tome, Fleeting Gestures and Obsessions.  This couture cobbler remains steadfast in his feelings about designing his sexy, signature pumps and mules that give the illusion of an elongated leg.  No platforms for him!  Inspired by art, architecture, film, travel and more, the designs and look of the book are lavishly displayed.  "It's all about the  balance," Manolo explains.  The same holds true for interior design, so I thought it would be fun to use the shoes as inspiration; one inspiring the other, because often times, they do.

Manolo can credit becoming a shoe designer to a happy accident.  He was asked to design shoes for an Ozzy Clarke fashion show.  His inexperience worked to his advantage because the models were forced to assume an unusual gait as they walked the runway so as not to fall flat on their faces.  The critics and show-goers stood up and took notice.  The rave reviews motivated Manolo to study the business of shoe design and he has since gone on to create more than 30,000 different designs.

He strongly believes in the importance of referencing the past to inform the future ~

His designs are sharp and timeless ~

Attention Grabbing and Sexy ~

Festive and Unique ~

Classic and Elegant ~

and Neutral and Sensual ~

Manolo stumbled upon his life's passion and spent a career pursuing the perfection of the art of the shoe.  That's not what I call a fleeting obsession!



shoe photos:Michael Roberts