Manolo Blahnik's 'The Art of Shoes' Exhibition Opens in Milan

Palazzo Morando in Milan is hosting 'The Art of Shoes,' a major exhibition celebrating 45 years of Manolo Blahnik's career. The show features over 200 creations and 80 drawings by the Spanish couturier, born in 1942 in Santa Cruz de la Palma. Curated by Cristina Carrillo de Albornoz, the exhibition unfolds across six sections, revealing inspirations from historical figures like Catherine II of Russia and Pauline Bonaparte, as well as muses such as Paloma Picasso, Anna Piaggi, and Bianca Jagger. Cinematic references include Sofia Coppola's 'Marie Antoinette' and Stanley Kubrick's 'Barry Lyndon.' Blahnik personally designs each shoe, starting with sketches on paper, then creating three-dimensional plastic forms, cutting samples, and indicating ornament placement. Prototypes are manufactured in Milan's hinterland. Italian art and culture, from Greco-Roman sculpture to Luchino Visconti's Sicilian baroque in 'The Leopard,' have influenced his style. Milan is the first stop of a traveling exhibition; future venues include the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the Museum Kampa in Prague, and the Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas in Madrid.