Shoes were truly me first love in fashion as maybe they were for a lot of you darlings out there as well. So every self-respecting shoe lover must know the name Manolo Blahnik as the king of the shoes, I dare say. Today I want to share with you some of his amazingly beautiful shoes which would be not only a wonderful option for all the parties during the holiday season, but also a smart and long-lasting investment. Moreover, since I find Blahnik’s persona to be genuinely inspiring I would love to share with you, a bit of his story and hope that it will bring into your life the same sense of motivation and a way to strive for perfection. Shall we begin?

IF YOU ARE A SHOE LOVER, READ ALSO:8 ESSENTIAL TYPES OF SHOES ANY WOMAN SHOULD OWN

History

The road to Blahnik’s throne was certainly not an easy and direct one. He was born and raised in the Canary Islands. He got his love for everything English from his Czech father who was a sophisticated man and a vivid Anglophile. His creativity and love of beauty came from his Spanish mother, who, as Manolo recalls, was an incredibly artistic woman – she painted, craved and even learned how to make shoes herself when things got though during the war.

For some time Blahnik struggled to find his calling in life as probably many of us do. First, his parents wanted him to be a diplomat so they sent him to Geneva to study law and politics. However, Blahnik felt that he is pulled to something more creative so he switched to literature and architecture. Still this was not his thing, he wanted to do something even more creative, something where he worked both with his hands and with his head. The next step was Art School in Paris and this is how he found his way.

Found on: facebook.com

Portrait by Michael Roberts, 2011

However, the Parisian lifestyle was not suited for Blahnik’s spirit so he moved to England where he claims to feel at home. The turning point which led him to take up shoe making was when he visited America and thanks to Vogue’s then, Editor-in-chief, Diana Vreeland, who literally told the young Manolo “Do shoes!”. And then he was hooked. He spent the next ten years learning the craftof shoe-making in factories and perfecting himself as he is still a perfectionist to the bottom of his heart.

The key to his success is the fact that he does this with love and for the love of art and beauty even after all these years. Still his main form of entertainment, besides gardening and movies, remain, to this day, his fantasies, drawing them, crafting them and bringing them to life. Every shoe that comes from Manolo is hand crafted, carefully edited and made from top tier materials. As the king of the shoes says himself: “I do fashion, yes, but I think it’s obscene to change drastically from one season to the next… And maybe the shoes are expensive for some people… But they last; you’re not going to buy them now and throw them away in a few months.” Talk about smart investment!

FOR MORE WINTER IDEAS, READ ALSO: THE 5 TYPES OF BOOTS YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS WINTER

By the way to all the boyfriends and husbands out there if you are looking to make a lasting impression with a gift this year – you can never go wrong with Manolos. Blahnik admits: ‘Men tell me that I’ve saved their marriages. It costs them a fortune in shoes, but it’s cheaper than a divorce.”

Let’s see what the shoe maestro can offer for the holidays.

The Classic

Blahnik says he is a classicist inspired by the 19th century. This explains why he is horrified by the platform and in love with the stiletto. And those classics will be serving you on many many occasions and for many many years. One classic Manolo pair goes with everything from everyday jeans to a fancy gown.

Found on: neimanmarcus.com

Found on: neimanmarcus.com

Found on: neimanmarcus.com

The Classic With a Twist

If you want a little twist to your classic shoe, but still prefer to invest in something versatile, multifunctional and long wasting these lace and differently cut classics are the way to go.

Found on: neimanmarcus.com

The Crystal Miracle

Well, wether we like to admit it or not we all like a little shimmer and sparkle here and there and let’s face it who can resist the ultimate Carrie shoes with which Mr. Big proposed in Sex and The City movie (and Carrie and the TV series had a big part in making Manolos a household name).

Found on: neimanmarcus.com

The Royal Treatment

Each of Blahnik’s collections has some pieces that just make you feel like you are a princess in a castle somewhere far away in a different time period, What better time to feel like a part of the royal family than the Winter holidays!