Designer Heels: Manolo Blahnik

There's nothing like slipping into a pair of designer heels. Not only do they look elegant and unique, but they also feel amazing on the foot. Whilst some might despise designer shoes as being unnecessary excesses, there is an element of art to a designer shoe which justifies its cost. Manolo Blahniks are a prime example of the type of designer heels which transcend mere footwear and transport the wearer not only down the highways and byways of their lives, but into a better world where art reigns supreme.

But who is this Manolo Blahnik?

Manolo Blahnik is a Commander of the British Empire, and also the commander of millions of pretty feet worldwide. Manolo Blahnik shoes are synonymous with a playful and humorous brand of style and glamor, each one designed by the master himself. Manolo is well known for his solo modus operandi - he always works alone, creating the shoes he credits his mother for inspiring him to make. Manolo's path to the top was not easy, and sacrifices were many, but the persistence, skill, and attention to beauty he developed over the years throughout his ascent to the top of his field is reflected in every pair of shoes that bear his name.

Each pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes are sculpted from heel to toe by Manolo Blahnik himself, and he combines technical prowess with inspired design to create his whimsical, beautiful shoes which push the limits of the mundane.

A constant innovator, Manolo Blahnik devised the 'heelless shoe', a shoe which operates on an S spring concept, and which involves no heel at all. The effect is somewhat effortlessly disconcerting, but nevertheless these shoes have become something of an instant classic.

The Sedaraby is a prime example of some of Manolo Blahnik's more recent work. The bright paisley pattern roams the exterior of an otherwise rather sedate pair of heels, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.

These Marimekko themed shoes demonstrate once more Manolo Blahnik's fearless use of color, and the gentle humor which pervades his work. At once feminine and slightly retro, these are part of the Manolo Blahnik Spring/Summer '08 collection.

Manolo Blahniks may not come cheap, but to shoe lovers, that is akin to saying that a Picasso isn't cheap. Each pair of Manolo Blahnik heels is not only the work of a master craftsman, but a master artist, a man who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of beauty in fashion and design. Owning a pair or several of Manolo Blahnik heels is therefore not simply a symbol of status, but a celebration of fashion design at its peak.