Manolo Blahnik: Fleeting Gestures and Obsessions

Featuring over forty years of shoe design, this definitive monograph on the life and work of Manolo Blahnik, one of the titans of postwar fashion. Featuring a highly personal selection of over 150 iconic heels from the designer’s own collection, the book reveals for the very first time the generative sources of his singular artistic vision. Equal parts design monograph and biography, assembled here are the men, women, and locales that inspired and sustained Blahnik throughout his storied career, and the shoes that were the sublime issue of these inspirations. Drawn from the worlds of fashion, architecture, art, photography, film, and literature, figures as diverse as Tennessee Williams, Anna Piaggi, Diana Vreeland, Pedro Almodovar, Gore Vidal, and Cecil Beaton provide the creative and philosophical bedrock of Blahnik’s furious industry. This book is conceived as a comprehensive document to the breadth of Blahnik’s work and provides access to never before seen photography of his designs, sketches, and concept renderings. With insightful chapters devoted to Blahnik’s most powerful relationships and inspirations - including Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, Cecil Beaton, Pedro Almodovar, El Prado, and Diana Vreeland. 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 fill every page, giving readers the unique opportunity to access Blahnik’s vivid and creative filled world.