Today Manolo Blahnik is British brand with global recognition. Manolo Blahnik International Limited is headquartered in London with offices and partners around the world. The company remains privately owned and, most importantly, family operated, with Manolo Blahnik remaining as the Creative Director and Chairman. Manolo worked alongside his sister, Evangelina Blahnik, as Managing Director of the company from 1981 with his niece, Kristina Blahnik, taking over as CEO in 2013. Kristina is currently working on expanding and optimising the business globally and manages all aspects of the family venture. Currently the brand holds 318 points of sale in 40 countries, with 17 standalone stores including London, New York, Geneva, Dubai, Hong Kong, Madrid and Moscow. The company has also undergone a transformation in Asia where it has partnered with the Bluebell Group expanding into Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. Blahnik still sketches every design for the four seasonal women’s collections each year, along with the men’s collections and bags, and then travels to the factories in Italy to work on the lasts and heels, selecting materials and accessories and overseeing the development of each prototype. Blahnik’s creative output every six months is around 250 brand new styles of which only 150 can appear across pre and main. The brand has long had loyal customers from film stars to leading fashion editors, to women who trust Manolo’s perfectionism. With a career spanning over 40 years, Manolo Blahnik has become one of the world’s most influential footwear designers. Known for his original, creative flair as much as for his timeless, classic styles, Manolo’s shoes continue to captivate adoring and loyal devotees across the world.
