Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes opens in Toronto

An exhibition showcasing more than 200 Manolo Blahnik shoes has opened in the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, celebrating 45 years of work by the iconic footwear designer.

Open until January 6, 2019, the Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes opening in Toronto marks the exhibitions final and only North American stop, following previous showcases in Milan, St. Petersburg, Prague and Madrid, and provides insight into Blahnik’s private archive showcasing more than 200 of his favourite shoes and 80 original drawings.

Curated by the footwear designer alongside Cristina Carrillo de Albornoz, the designs span from the early 1970’s to modern day and reflects Blahnik's personal journey and achievements over the last four decades, as well as showcasing his inspirations ranging from architecture, art, botany, literature, cinema and how countries from around the world have played a pivotal role in his designs.

Highlights include exclusive footage of the artist at work, rare examples of Blahnik's celebrated drawings and sketches and the collection of Marie Antoinette shoes, created for Sofia Coppola's 2006 film Marie Antoinette.

To complement the exhibition, the museum is also presenting Exclusively Manolo, a series of programming celebrating the exhibition, including exclusive tours, workshops and a film series.

The Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto was chosen as the last stop on the residency tour as it is home to the world’s largest collection of shoes and artefacts and is housed in a five floor architectural structure, which Blahnik states on his website as the “perfect fit” to feature his footwear collection.

Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes is open in Toronto until January 6, 2019.

FashionUnited takes a moment to gather some of the high points from Manolo Blahnik life and career. Scroll down to navigate through the interactive map. Hit the button 'Start Exploring' and use the arrows to explore the map.

Images: courtesy of CNW Group/Bata Shoe Museum; Manola Blahnik picture by Ryan Emberley