Manolo S New Shoes

Manolo Blahník’s name is synonymous with beautifully crafted shoes that radiate originality, style, and exuberance. For four decades his unique vision has held the fashion world spellbound, and his creations have become perpetual objects of desire. His design process always begins with colorful sketches as finely executed as the shoes themselves, and which have become equally sought-after by his fans. Here, more than 130 of Blahník’s witty, seductive drawings are collected into one inspiring volume. Manolo's New Shoes is organized thematically to express his current inspirations and passions—Africa, architecture, botany, Russia, and urban life. An introduction by Manolo Blahník himself is accompanied by contributions from some of the most prominent names in fashion: Suzy Menkes, head fashion reporter and editor for the International Herald Tribune; Grace Coddington, creative director at Vogue; three-time Oscar-award winning costume designer Milena Canonero; Amy Fine Collins, a special correspondent to Vanity Fair; and Carlos García Calvo, who writes for El Mundo. A book for everyone who has admired Blahník's work, whether from afar through a store's plate-glass window or up-close in her own closet, Manolo's New Shoes provides a fascinating glimpse into the creative mind of today’s best-known shoe designer. As André Leon Talley, the editor-at-large at Vogue, has said about the designer, “He captures the most powerful of emotions: desire.”

Through a playful series of alphabetical vignettes, Manolo Blahník reveals his ideas and inspirations in newly photographed examples of shoes and whimsical drawings. The shoes of Manolo Blahník have been called “magical totems of success and femininity” (The Guardian) and boast a cult following of devotees the world over. With their sleek elegance and distinctive fashion edge, “Manolos” are at once fascinating and timeless, their design a beautiful combination of chic, playfulness, and flair. This book explores the creativity and influences of this modern master through an alphabetical chronicle of the designer’s loves and inspiration. Blahník’s alphabet gives insight into the art and craftsmanship of shoemaking and includes whimsical musings on his relationships with figures such as Anna Piaggi, Loulou de la Falaise, and Diana Vreeland; the inspiration he draws from works by Goya, Zurbarán, Picasso, Barbara Hepworth, and Zaha Hadid; and his admiration for fellow designers such as Azzedine Alaïa, Balenciaga, and Yves Saint Laurent. These highly personal anecdotes—drawn from conversations between Blahník and the author and accompanied by original sketches and new photography—offer the reader a rare opportunity to learn the vision behind the shoes as told by a fashion legend. The book— which will accompany a traveling global exhibition— is introduced by an illustrated essay, which describes the designer’s illustrious forty-five-year career in the fashion industry.

Now available at a new price, this is the first comprehensive volume dedicated to documenting the influences and life work of Manolo Blahnik, one of the most influential and talked-about icons in contemporary fashion. Featuring more than forty years of shoe design, this is the definitive monograph of the work of Manolo Blahnik, one of the titans of contemporary fashion. Drawing inspiration from the worlds of architecture, art, film, and literature, Blahnik is a master of the art of the shoe. His exciting use of color, unprecedented designs, and exquisitely sculpted heels make his shoes some of the most coveted in the world. Featuring more than 250 iconic designs from his archive, the book reveals for the very first time the inspirations behind his singular artistic vision. This book is conceived as a comprehensive survey of Blahnik’s work and provides access to never- before-seen photography of his designs. With insightful chapters devoted to Blahnik’s most powerful relationships and inspirations—including Marie Antoinette, Diana Vreeland, Cecil Beaton, Spanish and Italian film, the works of Goya and Velázquez and the Prado Museum—this book is a personal look into the man behind the shoes. Beautiful photography and thoughtful essays and conversations by fashion writers, curators, and colleagues give readers a unique opportunity to access Blahnik’s vivid and creative world.

Take a walk in someone else's shoes in this fascinating examination of shoes and feet around the world! This one-of-a-kind A-Z reference work contains over 150 fascinating entries and intriguing sidebars that look at feet and adornment of feet across the many cultures of the world throughout time. A wide range of international and multicultural topics are covered, including foot binding, fetishes, diseases of the foot, customs and beliefs related to the foot, shoe construction, myths and folktales featuring feet or shoes, the history of footwear, iconic brands and types of shoes, important celebrities associated with shoes, and the types of footwear worn around the world. This exhaustive compilation is ideal for students and general readers interested in the human body, fashion, and medicine, and even scholars looking for more in-depth coverage on the social and cultural uses of the body will find it as a useful starting point in their research. Cross-references, suggestions for further reading, and a full bibliography of print and electronic resources are valuable tools for all readers. Students can use this reference work to draw cross-cultural comparisons, as well as study the evolution of footwear in terms of social, religious, and ethnic parameters. Aside from iconic American brands and types of shoes, this volume will also look at how feet are treated and viewed around the globe: removing shoes upon entering a house, washing feet for religious purposes, giving feet the spa treatment, and covering feet up for social customs. Perfect for undergraduate and high school students studying anthropology and world culture.

- An essential reference for students, curators and scholars of fashion, cultural studies, and the expanding range of disciplines that see fashion as imbued with meaning far beyond the material. - Over 300 in-depth entries covering designers, articles of clothing, key concepts and styles. - Edited and introduced by Valerie Steele, a scholar who has revolutionized the study of fashion, and who has been described by The Washington Post as one of "fashion's brainiest women." Derided by some as frivolous, even dangerous, and celebrated by others as art, fashion is anything but a neutral topic. Behind the hype and the glamour is an industry that affects all cultures of the world. A potent force in the global economy, fashion is also highly influential in everyday lives, even amongst those who may feel impervious. This handy volume is a one-stop reference for anyone interested in fashion - its meaning, history and theory. From Avedon to Codpiece, Dandyism to the G-String, Japanese Fashion to Subcultures, Trickle down to Zoot Suit, The Berg Companion to Fashion provides a comprehensive overview of this most fascinating of topics and will serve as the benchmark guide to the subject for many years to come.

Now available at a new price, this is the first comprehensive volume dedicated to documenting the influences and life work of Manolo Blahnik, one of the most influential and talked-about icons in contemporary fashion. Featuring more than forty years of shoe design, this is the definitive monograph of the work of Manolo Blahnik, one of the titans of contemporary fashion. Drawing inspiration from the worlds of architecture, art, film, and literature, Blahnik is a master of the art of the shoe. His exciting use of color, unprecedented designs, and exquisitely sculpted heels make his shoes some of the most coveted in the world. Featuring more than 250 iconic designs from his archive, the book reveals for the very first time the inspirations behind his singular artistic vision. This book is conceived as a comprehensive survey of Blahnik’s work and provides access to never- before-seen photography of his designs. With insightful chapters devoted to Blahnik’s most powerful relationships and inspirations—including Marie Antoinette, Diana Vreeland, Cecil Beaton, Spanish and Italian film, the works of Goya and Velázquez and the Prado Museum—this book is a personal look into the man behind the shoes. Beautiful photography and thoughtful essays and conversations by fashion writers, curators, and colleagues give readers a unique opportunity to access Blahnik’s vivid and creative world.

This title takes a calendrical approach to illuminating the history of Latinos and life in the United States and adds more value than a simple "this day in history" through primary source excerpts and resources for further research. Latino/a history has been relatively slow in gaining recognition despite the population's rich and varied history. Engaging and informative, Latino History Day by Day: A Reference Guide to Events will help address that oversight. Much more than just a "this-day-in-history" list, the guide describes important events in Latino/a history, augmenting many entries with a brief excerpt from a primary document. All entries include two annotated books and websites as key resources for follow up. The day-to-day reference is organized by the 365 days of the year with each day drawing from events that span several hundred years of Latino/a history, from Mexican Americans to Puerto Ricans to Cuban Americans. With this guide in hand, teachers will be able to more easily incorporate Latino/a history into their classes. Students will find the book an easy-to-use guide to the Latino/a past and an ideal starting place for research.

Fashion's leading shoemaker, Manolo Blahnik is one of the handful of designers whose name is synonymous with their product. His success has lasted from setting up as a shoe designer in a Chelsea boutique in the 1970s to the present day, with American Vogue's Anna Wintour declaring 'The truth is, I wear no other shoes except his'. Blahnik has collaborated with many leading fashion designers – from Ossie Clark at the start of his career and John Galliano at Dior at its height – but Blahnik's greatest achievement is to have made footwear, previously subservient to the overall concept of a look, the most important of all accessories. His many covers and features in the pages of Vogue reveal that wearing a pair of 'Manolos' is to be utterly transformed; in Blahnik's dreamy, handmade creations, a woman can reinvent her personality. She is a Lolita in his Mary-Janes and a red carpet diva in his satin mules.