Manolo
Blahnik
With the new photo book Blahnik
by Boman
fresh on the shelves, PN caught up with cult shoe designer Manolo Blahnik
to get the lowdown on fashion and fundraising
Words David G Taylor
Why do you think it’s important for celebrities like yourself to get
behind HIV and Aids campaigns?
If my ridiculous status as a designer helps to bring attention to this vital
cause, then it is absolutely great and necessary that I get behind such campaigns.
Has HIV touched your life personally?
I have lost a lot of dear friends. A day does not go by that I do not think
of them still. The impact HIV has had on the fashion world is immeasurable.
You designed a Coca-Cola bottle to raise money for Terrence Higgins
Trust. Tell us about the inspiration for your design.
The Coca-Cola bottle was an easy one. The project was entitled ‘What
brings me sunshine’ and the answer to that is my work, so I drew a sort
of homage to my first production shoe called ‘Ossie’.
What other Aids charities have you worked with?
In the 80s, myself and friends Rifat Ozbek and Marguerite Littman were instrumental
in starting Aids Crisis Trust. This was the first organisation to auction
fashion items. Since then, as often as I can, I donate shoes or drawings,
or both. The US auctions have raised the most money; once a drawing went for
$10,000 and another time, more recently, someone paid over $30,000 to have
a shoe named after them.
You’ve also raised funds by taking photographs for Fashion Acts,
a celebrity photo auction to raise money for people affected by HIV and Aids.
Actually, I have completed photographs for Fashion Acts for many, many years.
It is one of my favourite projects to do; it forces me to stop working and
do something purely creative. I’ve taken photographs of so many things
including my favourite African mask and my beloved dog, Serafin. But usually
I photograph my shoes, as these pictures seem to raise more money at auction,
which, after all, is the point. I used to do so much photography when I was
younger so it’s always wonderful to have an excuse to pick up a camera
again.
Tell us about the new photo book, Blahnik by Boman.
Eric Boman has been my friend since we met on the streets of London in the
early 70s. He is a great friend who truly understands where my inspirations
come from. When I opened my exhibition at London’s Design Museum in
February 2003, the idea for the book just came to us at the same time.
What’s the concept behind it?
There is a lot of humour in the book, because there is in the
inspiration behind my shoes. Just because something is sexy does not mean
it has to be without humour.
What new projects are you working on?
I am currently working on an exhibition of my shoes that will take place in
Koskovo Palace just outside of Moscow.
Where do you draw inspiration for your shoe designs?
I draw inspiration from everywhere, traffic lights even!
Finally, tell us something we don’t know about you?
Once I went to St. Vincent Hospital in New York and gave a bunch of my press
samples to some Puerto Rican trannies. We all had a real laugh together.
• Blanik by Boman: a Photographic Conversation is out now, £48
(Thames & Hudson). www.thamesandhudson.com
