Manolo Blahnik

Born in the Canary Islands, Manolo Blahnik studied language and art in Switzerland before moving to Paris in 1965 in the hopes of becoming a set designer. By 1971 he had turned his focus toward making shoes, and in 1973 Blahnik opened his first shop in London. His shoes are no doubt the cream of the crop, but Blahnik is still incredibly involved in the design of every piece, making the lasts and heels with his own hands. When asked to describe his collection, Blahnik said: "My shoes are special shoes for discerning feet."