Sexy Shoes from Manolo Blahnik

Posted by Gill Hart Jan 27, 2008

A pair of shoes. In fact, many pairs, from Manolo Blahnik’s Spring and Summer 2008 collection in his fusion of Turkish architecture and Marimeko prints. Inspired by a trip to Istanbul, Blahnik was influenced by the architecture of the windows from the Hagia Sophia Mosque/Museum, which has the unique distinction of being both a mosque and a church in its lifetime. This foot candy Turkish delight is one of Blanik’s favorite themes of Spring and Summer 2008. Fresh from the wonders of Istanbul, he then paid a trip to Bath in Southern England “and came across some really fantastic Marimekko prints in this little shop.” Says Blahnik. “The two just happened to fall perfectly into place - bizarre as that combination may sound." I was interested to take a closer look at this season’s creations as anything connected with Istanbul brings back fond memories for me. I lived there for a number of years, and as the bridge between two continents, Europe and Asia, this city is unique. It's one of those places which you either love or hate and nothing in between! I can discern the influences of the Byzantine architecture in some of Blahnik's collection although the unexpected fashion pairing of Finland’s designer, Marimeko provides a unique twist which makes these look-at-me shoes a bit impractical for the office! The King of killer heels is famous for his outrageous statement shoes and five and a half inch stilettos. This season he concentrates on womens shoes which make ankles slimmer and legs longer. Spring 2008 also sees the launch of Blahnik's first menswear collection in seven years. Celebrities and socialites love his footwear the world over but for most of us, owning a pair of limited edition “Manolo’s” to add to our basic footwear collection are the stuff dreams are made of.