Manolo Blahnik is one of the world’s finest shoemakers, known for his exquisite designs and extravagant embellishments. But his career path wasn’t in shoe designing from the outset. Originally, he studied theatre set design and fashion in Paris, but this all changed in 1969 when he met Diana Vreeland, editor-in-chief of American Vogue. ‘Young man, make things, make accessories, make shoes,’ she told him. It was his footwear that she took particular interest in, and he clearly took her advice on board.

Renowned for his women’s shoes – Madonna famously said they were better than sex (and lasted longer) – Blahnik has also sold a men’s collection since the 1970s.

‘I always did men’s shoes,’ he explains, ‘but I only did one or two pairs for myself. I did sell some, because friends would see them and ask me to make some for them. So I did, for people like Bryan Ferry, David Hockney, Peter Schlesinger and Eric Boman.’

Every shoe Blahnik creates starts with a freehand sketch using watercolour ink. His delicate use of line, light and colour bears an impressionistic quality. Once he has drawn an entire collection, Blahnik takes his drawings to the men’s factory, located in Lamporecchio, Italy, to work with specialist artisans to transform them into three-dimensional forms.

The men’s collection is all individually made, with some pairs involving up to 200 separate stages. ‘Craftsmanship is at the very heart of everything I do,’ says Blahnik. The quality of design and material is very important to the fashion designer, as he is involved in all stages of building the shoes and he creates each sample to ensure that it lives up to his original vision.

Like Blahnik’s women’s collection, the men’s shoes are characterised by his use of luxury materials and exceptional attention to detail. ‘I specialise in very beautiful ones, using patchwork and silk,’ he says, ‘embroidery with moiré, or grosgrain embroidery with ecclesiastical motifs. There’s one style – the Eaton – with a huge buckle.’

As a royalist, he explains that these decorated models are suddenly relevant in light of recent events. ‘I wanted them to be ready for the coronation. It was unbearable when the Queen died. But now we have a King and I wanted to mark the occasion with some new work.’

Made from black velvet, featuring a rectangular buckle with red crystals, tonal grosgrain ribbon and piping, the Eaton is the definition of this season’s sleek and polished styles and perfect for the period of the coronation, a time to dress up and adopt decorative footwear.

But not all Blahnik’s men’s shoes are ostentatious. There is a range of classic styles, the designer’s favourite being the Witney, a cap-toe Oxford made from calf leather. ‘I wear them all the time. If you wear classic shoes, you can break them in, and they are really comfortable.’ But, he says, there are times when he will be more adventurous. ‘If I go out in the evening, I do wear a buckle.’

What Manolo Blahnik’s shoes all have in common is that they are made from the highest-quality materials. For example, he uses silks from Stephen Walters & Sons, a maker of silk, cashmere and linen for over 300 years and among the most famous in the world. Blahnik chooses the brand’s silks because ‘they’re beautiful, they last for ever. You can wear a pair of shoes made from Stephen Walters’ silk every day, or five or six times in your life. It’s up to you.

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