Sui Generis · Fashion history

Manolo Blahnik

Manolo Blahnik

Manolo Blahnik came to footwear through drawing, art and theatre. His official biography recalls Diana Vreeland encouraging him to focus on shoes after seeing his costume sketches. He developed a refined alternative to the heavy platforms popular in the 1970s, and later designed runway footwear for houses including Oscar de la Renta and Calvin Klein. Blahnik continues to sketch his designs and work with Italian artisans on the lasts, heels, materials and prototypes that turn an illustration into a wearable shoe.

Manolo Blahnik
Jindřich Nosek (NoJin) · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Houses & roles

Career milestones and recorded collection credits. Collection-year ranges identify seasons in our archive, not employment start and end dates. Roles at different houses can overlap.

YearsHouse & roleExplore at Sui Generis
1970Manolo BlahnikFounder / co-founderCollection archive →Read the house guide →
Sources & further reading

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