Black Manolo Blahnik Embellished Heeled Sandals Size 40
About the Item
- Designer:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 40 (EU)
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Pre-owned. Very good. Minor wear.
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU147221727752
Manolo Blahnik
There may be no designer with as wide a breadth of references as the fashion and footwear icon Manolo Blahnik, whose stated sources of inspiration for the creation of his sublime shoes include — but are not limited to — Diana Vreeland, ancient Greece, 21st-century architecture, Spanish cinema and Piet Mondrian.
It’s a fittingly robust list for someone who has spent a lifetime in the self-described “pursuit of beauty.”
Born in 1942 in Spain’s Canary Islands, Blahnik had an early exposure to shoemaking: During World War II, his designer-shoe-loving mother enlisted a local cobbler to teach her to make her own footwear from available materials. The young Blahnik was intrigued.
After briefly studying law in Switzerland with the intention of becoming a diplomat, Blahnik moved to Paris, where he took a job in a vintage clothing shop while studying art at École des Beaux-Arts as well as set design at the art school of the Louvre. It wasn’t until years later, however, that he would realize his calling as a shoe designer. In the late 1960s, Blahnik relocated to London, where he worked for both the Sunday Times and Vogue. In the early 1970s, the renowned American Vogue editor Diana Vreeland saw his sketches and urged him to pursue footwear.
After a debut collection for celebrated fashion designer Ossie Clark — featuring models that Blahnik had gotten to know through his work in the fashion industry, among them Twiggy — received acclaim, he created footwear for illustrious dressmaker Jean Muir and apprenticed with professional shoemakers in London to perfect his craft. By 1973 he had bought out the shoe boutique Zapata and made it his own. Bloomingdale’s introduced him to the American market with a collection a few years later.
Vintage Manolo Blahnik shoes are famous for their theatricality, as the designer is well known for the whimsical, fantastical elements he brings to footwear, often in an explosive palette. “I have always approached color in a bold way, from all angles and variations,” he once said. “Always searching for the poetry of an impossible color.” Tack on teetering height as a trademark that took shape from early on.
“Those poor girls couldn’t walk properly, but people loved it,” the designer recalled of his early models. “Sir Cecil Beaton said to me, ‘Is this a new way of walking?’” To take it from pop culture, it indeed might have been: People are still talking about the night that Bianca Jagger dazzled, horseback, at Studio 54 in a Halston dress and Blahnik shoes on her 30th birthday, and, decades later, the footwear icon was rendered a household name during the long-running television series Sex and the City.
Today, Manolo Blahnik remains a virtual synonym for luxury shoes. Find a range of his footwear and handbags on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: New York, NY
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 2 days of delivery.
- Black Christian Louboutin Suede Studded Pumps Size 39.5By Christian LouboutinLocated in New York, NYBlack suede and leather pointed-toe pumps by Christian Louboutin. Gold-tone conical studs at toes. 2.75" heel height.Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Shoes
- Black Maison Margiela Replica Pointed-Toe Booties Size 37By Maison Martin MargielaLocated in New York, NYBlack leather and suede pointed-toe booties by Maison Margiela Replica. 4.25" heel height.Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Shoes
- Black Rachel Comey Pointed-Toe Ankle Boots Size 37Located in New York, NYBlack leather pointed-toe ankle boots by Rachel Comey. Zip closures at counters. 2.5" heel height.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Shoes
- Black Emilio Pucci Grommet-Accented Cage Heeled Sandals Size 38By Emilio PucciLocated in New York, NYBlack leather and gold-tone grommet and O-ring embellished cage sandals by Emilio Pucci. Buckle closures at ankle straps. 4" heel height. Designer Size: 38 US Recommended Size: 8Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoes
- Tan & Black Chloe Zebra Print Ponyhair Slide Sandals Size 37.5By ChloéLocated in New York, NYTan and black zebra print ponyhair and leather flat slide sandals by Chloe. Gold-tone C adornments at tops. 1" heel height.Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoes
- Black & White Alexander McQueen Platform Sneakers Size 38By Alexander McQueenLocated in New York, NYBlack leather and white rubber platform sneakers by Alexander McQueen. Lace-up tie closures at tops. 1.75" heel height. Designer Size: 38 US Recommended Size: 8Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoes
- Gucci Ankle Boot With Horsebit In Neutrals IT 37By GucciLocated in Brossard, QCTwo of the House's most recognizable symbols define this pair of ankle boots. The bee appears as an intricate embroidered detail at the back while the Horsebit pays homage to the Hou...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoes
- Lanvin Python Pattern Curb Men SneakersBy Lanvin ParisLocated in Montreal, QuebecLanvin draws inspiration for this shoe from the skateboarding styles of the '90s. Oversized and exuberant, the Curb sneaker stands out for its extraordinary comfort that comes from i...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoes
- CELINE SS 2020 Gold Glitter PVC Jelly Fisherman SandalsBy Celine, Hedi SlimaneLocated in Morongo Valley, CACeline gold glitter PVC jelly fisherman sandals debuted at the Spring/Summer 2020 men's runway collection. These sandals are unisex and were made in ...Category
2010s Italian Shoes
- Valentino Black/Beige Leather Rockstud Ballet Flats Size EU 37.5By ValentinoLocated in Amman, JOValentino Black/Beige Leather Rockstud Ballet Flats, Features Pointed Toe , durable insole, , slip-on style and signature Valentino's studs. Material: Leather Size: EU 37.5 Overall ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoes
- VERSACE Odissea Sneakers Men 40By VersaceLocated in Paris, FRAmazing sneakers Odissea from Versace for men in size 40 Condition: excellent Made in Italy Model: Odissea Genre: men Material: leather Color: beige S...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoes
- Jimmy Choo London Glittered open toe size 38By Jimmy ChooLocated in Gazzaniga (BG), ITOpen toe Glittered Silver color Heel height cm 10 (3,93 inches) Plateau cm 1,5 (0,59 inches)Category
2010s Italian Shoes