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.
- Blue Christian Louboutin Patent Ballet Flats Size 37By Christian LouboutinLocated in New York, NYBlue patent leather ballet flats by Christian Louboutin. Designer Size: 37 US Recommended Size: 7Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoes
- Black Gianvito Rossi Pointed-Toe Buckle Ankle Boots Size 39By Gianvito RossiLocated in New York, NYBlack leather pointed-toe ankle boots by Gianvito Rossi. Block heels. Buckle accents at shafts. 5" shaft height, 2" heel height. Designer Size: 39 US Recommended Size: 9Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoes
- Black Chanel Cap-Toe Faux Pearl-Accented Ankle Boots Size 38.5By ChanelLocated in New York, NYBlack suede cap-toe ankle boots by Chanel. Faux pearl accents at grosgrain block heels. Zip closures at inner sides. 5" shaft height, 1" heel height. Designer Size: 38.5 US Recommen...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoes
- Silver Roger Vivier Patent Pointed-Toe Comma Heels Size 39By Roger VivierLocated in New York, NYSilver metallic patent leather pointed-toe pumps by Roger Vivier. Comma heels. 3" heel height. Designer Size: 39 US Recommended Size:9Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoes
- Yellow Roger Vivier Satin d'Orsay Buckle Flats Size 39By Roger VivierLocated in New York, NYYellow satin d'Orsay ballet flats by Roger Vivier. Crystal-embellished buckle adornments at toes. 0.25" heel height. Designer Size: 39 US Recommended Size: 9Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoes
- Black & Grey Roger Vivier Suede Ballet Flats Size 39By Roger VivierLocated in New York, NYBlack and grey square-toe suede ballet flats by Roger Vivier. Designer Size: 39 US Recommended Size: 9Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoes
- GUCCI Sea Foam Green Platform Espadrille SandalsBy GucciLocated in Morongo Valley, CAGucci platform espadrille sandals in pastel green with braided raffia heels. Suede cage upper and ankle straps, featuring a contrast...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoes
- 2000s Versace Satin Lace Up Heels (37)By VersaceLocated in Rochester, GBIconic vintage Versace black lace up heels from the early 2000s, in a black satin finish. Gold leather to the heel bases featuring the brands Versace log...Category
Early 2000s Shoes
- Mach & Mach Silver Double Bow 100 Crystal Pvc PumpsLocated in Scottsdale, AZIntroducing the epitome of elegance and glamour: the Mach & Mach Silver Double Bow 100 Crystal PVC Pumps. Crafted with precision and passion in Italy, these stunning shoes are a test...Category
2010s Italian Shoes
- LAMARCA Pink Velvet SandalsLocated in Bilbao, ESPink velvet sandals from LAMARCA featuring an open toe, an anckle strap fastening with a side buckle fastening and a high square heel. Made In: Spain Color: Pink Material: Velvet...Category
1990s Spanish Shoes
- Dolce and Gabbana flower Jacquard Jewelry PumpsLocated in Carnate, ITDolce and Gabbana Jacquard Pumps. Spring summer 2017 collection. Ready to wear. In floral patterned fabric and jewel buckle. Italian size 38 Inner sole 24 cm Heel 10 cm They come wit...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Shoes
- F/W 1997 Gucci by Tom Ford GG Monogram Black Pony Hair Metal 4.5" Heel Boots 37CBy Gucci, Tom Ford for GucciLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a pair of pony hair 'GG' monogram steel heel boots designed by Tom Ford for Gucci's Fall/Winter 1997 collection. The red velvet and black patent leather version of these h...Category
1990s Italian Shoes