When it comes to modern homemaking, it’s unquestionably a matter for Martha Stewart; and when it comes to luxury footwear, there’s no contest -- it’s Manolo Blahnik.  The London-based shoe designer, born in 1942 on the island of Tenerife (the largest of the seven Spanish Canary Islands), has undoubtedly carved out a fashion legacy over the course of a nearly forty-year career, inspiring a new generation of designers like Jimmy Choo and Nina Ricci to take footwear to new heights, literally.

Over the course of his 40-year career, Blahnik has attracted high-profile celebrities and socialities alike, including Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall, Marie Helvin, Princess Diana, and Kate Moss, who walked down the aisle last year in a customized version of the designer’s Godichefac open sandals.  

In the 2000s, Blahnik achieved new international heights on HBO’s hit series Sex and the City, with the show’s leading lady Sarah Jessica Parker being one of Blahnik’s biggest real-life fans.  Madonna has even gone as far to say that Blahnik’s shoes are “better than sex”, and moreover, “they last longer”.  

And today, Blahnik is still known for, above all, quality and timelessness.  What most people don’t know, however, is that the living, breathing Manolo Blahnik is still the man behind the brand.  Blahnik’s ‘hands-on’ nature is, perhaps, one of his most-defining characteristics. He is an artisan and craftsman in the truest sense, responsible for the design and construction of each and every prototype.  That is what sets his brand apart -- it is not an imitation of quality -- it’s the real thing, from inception to completion.

Despite all of the triumphs, Blahnik is still eagerly reaching for new heights, reclaiming center stage in the currently shifting market with his single-sole shoes, after a few seasons where sky-scraping platforms and experimental footwear dominated the fashion scene.  “Those ‘furniture’ shoes are finally over, or starting to be” claims Blahnik.  

If one thing is clear, however, it’s hardly the end for Blahnik.  “I have so much energy.  I’ve been working nonstop” claims the exclusive designer.  Just this month for example, Printemps department store in Paris has carved out a special area exclusively for the esteemed designer on its fifth floor.   And even amidst a shaky global economy, Blahnik has new plans for expansion, this time with a branded store in the Middle East’s Abu Dhabi market.  

This season there’s absolutely no question -- it’s out with the bulky and clunky, and in with the classic elegance and timeless femininity.  

Shop for the latest Manolo Blahnik IT shoes via BARNEYS.COM!