About half my designs are controlled fantasy, 15 percent are total madness and the rest are bread-and-butter designs.
These are the words of Shoe Designer Manolo Blahnik, and with the release of his book Manolo's New Shoes
, we are gifted with a savory collection of drawings from the designer of heeled confectionery. Who better to highlight for exotic fantasy shoes than the man who has an eye for footwear. The Monacelli Press was gracious enough to ship me a copy of the book for review. Filled with over 150 drawings of shoe art, it is a visual journey into the mind of an accomplished creative. With sections depicting Africa, botany, Russia, architecture and urban, the book shows in brilliant detail the inspirations of the prolific designer. It is literally a box of foot candy turned into eye candy!
Blahnik's contribution to Sofia Coppola's movie Marie Antoinette is highlighted with drawings of the shoes he created, which took on a life of their own (and were just as much characters in the period piece as the actors).
Who knew that designing shoes for a queen would evolve from a young boy from the Canary Islands, whose first pair of shoes of muslin and ribbon slippers were for his dog? Now that brings all new meaning to the term well-heeled...
Overall, the book is a must-have for the shoe aficionado. Whether you own a pair of Manolos or not, the amazing drawings will entice even the most conservative shoe buyer to consider a pair.
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