After adorning the feet of some of the world’s top celebrities and personalities, Manolo Blahnik is throwing open the doors of its archives to the public in celebration of its 50th anniversary. From November 18, you can visit the digital museum of the luxury footwear house from anywhere in the world.
The eponymous brand is a renowned name in the world of luxury footwear, and, exactly fifty years after it opened its first store on Old Church Street in London, Manolo Blahnik wants to take visitors on a virtual tour through five digital rooms tracing the history of the house.
Dubbed “Manolo Blahnik: A New Way of Walking,” this interactive experience will immerse the public in the world of Manolo Blahnik via sketches, films and photographs while giving them exclusive access to previously unseen models.
Visitors will start at the Palette Room which is dedicated to 80 sketches arranged in a spectrum of colours and bursting with untold stories. The next room, the 70’s Room, looks back at the Spanish designer’s design journey and the evolution of his creations through film clips, newspaper clippings, portraits and photographs.
This is followed by 12 Friendships, the third digital room focusing on the friendships and encounters that influenced Manolo Blahnik’s work, starting with Diana Vreeland, the former editor-in-chief of American Vogue, who encouraged the designer to launch his career.
The final two virtual rooms — The Gold Room and Our Family — showcase the house’s most extravagant creations, as well as the family and team members who have all contributed to the brand’s success over the past 50 years.
In a statement, Manolo Blahnik explains that the digital museum is intended to offer everyone the chance to learn and feel inspired to create, providing a way for people to connect with the brand even if its shoes remain out of reach.
And for those who can get their hands on it, the footwear brand has designed a ‘Gold’ capsule collection that transforms the virtual experience into reality. Crafted using fine and intricate materials such as feathers, lace or macramé, the Gold capsule collection features boots, pumps, sandals, heeled and flat mules, ankle boots and moccasins, all finished in different shades of gold.
It also includes the special ‘Bells’ line which consists of shoes in the collection inspired by Manolo Blahnik’s childhood and are adorned with miniature bells referencing the charm bracelet worn by his mother. This anniversary collection, which honours the brand’s high-end expertise, is available in stores and online.
