Manolo Blahnik launched his eponymous shoe label 50 years ago next year, but it didn’t take long for the man and the brand to become the stuff of fashion legend
While Blahnik’s glamorous designs have long been associated with women, earning him a legion of famous female fans, the designer has been creating men’s shoes for just as long. Initially, these were made for an A-list clientele but it wasn’t until 2013 that Blahnik finally launched a capsule men’s collection, followed in 2018 by his first-ever standalone men’s store in Mayfair.
Manolo Blahnik
Now, the Autumn 2020 menswear collection combines Blahnik’s immaculate craftsmanship and dapper design with earthy colours, handsome prints and luxurious textures.
The designer, who still hand-draws every one of his creations, also turned to 18th-century outdoor pursuits, which saw cobblers at the time tailor boots to countryside walkers. With this in mind, Blahnik has designed his own stylish and functional hiking boots, the Calaurio and Tillus, with heavy lugged outsoles.
Britain’s original dandy, Beau Brummell, and Hollywood icons James Dean and Gary Cooper inspired the collection’s more rakish styles, which range from jacquard evening slippers to driving loafers and a new edition ‘Witney’ Oxford in autumnal hues.
