WITH

Kristina Blahnik

CEO of Manolo Blahnik

Blahnik discusses what it means to lead one of fashion’s most iconic houses, the enduring vision behind the brand and the pair that started it all.

 

Watch 3 Questions with Kristina Blahnik @southcoastplaza on Instagram.

 

Do you think of Manolos as fashion, art or something else?

Goodness, is Manolo fashion or art? Manolo is definitely not fashion. I would say we are a brand that’s about investment, about creativity, about culture, intellect and all of which come together and create beautiful designs. Made in Italy with the artisans that are in our ateliers.

 

What’s a part of being a CEO that nobody sees from the outside?

That no ones, that I enjoy the most is the laughter. And that is because we have worked very hard to create a culture around the concept of smiling. We do laugh a lot and we really want to smile within ourselves, so that making people smile from head to toe in everything that we do, which is our mission it’s not just something we say, it’s something we live and breathe as well.

 

Do you remember your first pair of Manolos?

I do remember my first pair of Manolos. I was about eight years old and I’d come to the shop in London after school every day and Jamie, who’s still working  with us and has been with us for over 40 years, he used to convince me to put them on with my school uniform and dance around in these high heeled red patent shoes to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. I mean it must have been quite a spectacle, i’m so pleased there weren’t any phones filming me at the time.

Thank you for exploring Manolo Blahnik in the exquisite South Coast Plaza

 

 

Watch the Full Interview on Instagram

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