The Manolo Blahnik Story

Manolo Blahnik was born on the Canary Islands in 1942 and was brought up on a banana plantation. He happened to be home school because there were no nearby neighbors or towns, although the family traveled to Paris and Madrid several times a year, and at that time his parents would buy clothes from Cristobal Balenciaga, and the special tailor his father used. But there were times when the family could not get to the city, and at such times his mother would improvise. She even asked a local cobbler to teach her how to make espadrilles using ribbons and laces. He would sit a watch with fascination as she would make them. He also loved to peruse the fashion magazines she would receive, which always came a month late.

His parents wanted him to become a diplomat and enrolled him in University in Geneva and at first he began his Law studies with enthusiasm, but after a couple of months he decided to change and took subjects in literature and architecture. In 1965 he left for Paris and decided to study art. He held several part time jobs in order to make ends meet. After graduating he went to New York. At first he didn’t have much luck. His friend Paloma Picasso sent him to see Diana Vreeland of Vogue, and she thought his drawings were amusing, but suggested he pursue his career creating shoes.

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