Iconic Doesn't Even Begin to Cut It—The 6 Manolo Blahnik Shoe Styles Every Elegant Dresser Wants to Own

From Margot Robbie to Marie Antoinette—well, at least that’s the case in Sofia Coppola’s dreamy cinematic universe—every fashion icon throughout history has owned a pair of Manolo Blahniks.

However, for a label so ubiquitous that the mere muttering of the Spanish designer's name conveys a sensation of opulence and taste, credit must be rightfully given to Sarah Jessica Parker and legendary costume designer Patricia Fields for making the luxury brand a household sensation through their work in Sex And The City.

As noteworthy as the relationships Carrie Bradshaw chronicled in her fictional column, the beloved character’s relationship with the shoes spanned six seasons of a TV series, two films and a subsequent spin-off.

In fact, many of her most iconic moments from the franchise either had the lovelorn writer sporting a pair of its trademark candy-coloured designs or prompted her stickiest situations. See: A frenetic and slightly tipsy shriek over a pair of patent Mary Janes that she calls an “urban shoe myth” while in the VOGUE fashion cupboard, fighting with a friend over their request to go shoeless leaves her Manolos to be stolen at a baby shower and being robbed at gunpoint over the strappy gold style she’s wearing.

It’s this kind of cultural magnitude that has cemented them as an item lusted over by every elegant dresser. Almost like a rite of passage, many fashionable people that I count as friends have made a pilgrimage to the brand’s Burlington Arcade to nab a style, while others I know have alerts set up on their favourite online stores to be notified as soon as a new collection drops.

For me, my first and only pair was purchased by chance in a rushed shopping spree through Osaka’s hip shopping district, Orange Street. I had only half an hour before I had to depart for the airport, and in that time, I managed to find a pair of almost brand-new white leather pumps with decorative blue suede scallop piping hiding at the back of this palatial vintage store. Thanks to Japan’s culture of cleanliness and an incredibly favourable exchange rate, I managed to snag them for a mere £50. (A price Carrie Bradshaw would certainly approve of.)

But with an illustrious career that spans five decades, it’s not hard to mythologise a brand that’s become so synonymous with sophistication. It’s the shoes that Princess Diana paired with her revenge dress and Bianca Jagger wore while riding a horse into Studio 54, after all!

So, whether you’re a first-time shopper or a shoe connoisseur, I’ve taken it upon myself to round up the most iconic silhouettes that every style insider should know. (And hopefully own one day.) Scroll on ahead for the best Manolo Blahnik shoes.

The 6 Best Manolo Blahnik Shoes to Invest In

1. Maysale

Style Notes: What began as an exclusive shoe designed for Isaac Mizrahi's spring/summer 1991 runway collection has blossomed into Manolo Blahnik’s signature creations. The buckle was derived from the shoes, flouncy ruffles and taut collars worn by pilgrims who colonised the United States of America in the early 17th Century. However, the look couldn’t be further from the puritanical dress codes it derived its shape from, with the shoe swiftly becoming a favourite of rebellious sartorialists like Madonna and Lisa Evangelista soon after its inception. (Less The Crucible and more The Craft.) Now, it’s seen on everyone from Hailey Bieber to the Olsen Twins.

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2. Carolyne

Style Notes: Deriving its name from two iconic Carolynes— socialite and artist Carolyne Roehm and late Calvin Klein publicist Carolyn Bessette Kennedy—it’s fitting that the shoe has since become a staple worn by every iteration of It girl imaginable. With a low, comfortable and slightly fluted heel, a flexible slingback shape and a refined pointed toe shape, this shoe is the kind of thing that you can fling on casually with denim jeans or an ethereal dress, only to find whatever you’ve paired with it is made more beautiful, just as Gracie Abrams and Riley Keough have proven here.

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3. Callasli

Style Notes: One of the most sensual designs in Manolo Blahnik’s oeuvre, the Callasli is an open-toe sandal that features crossover straps and a stiletto high heel before cascading into a beautiful slingback shape that caresses the very top of the ankle. Evoking a sense of Tom Ford for Gucci-era sexiness and glamour associated with Italian silver screen starlets like Sophia Loren, this is a shoe made for movement. As the designer said himself: “It's light, it gives a lot of leg, and it's barely there!”

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4. Hangisi

Style Notes: Sofia Coppola’s 2006 adaptation of Marie Antoinette’s life wasn’t the only time Manolo Blahnik came face to face with Parisian ostentatiousness and aristocracy. In fact, the vibrant and jewel-encrusted Hangisi, which some may recognise as Carrie Bradshaw’s wedding shoes, took inspiration from another member of France’s high court, Josephine Bonaparte. The former Empress was known to adore a pump with a decorative buckle, as was the contemporary fashion, and nearly two centuries after her death in 1814, Blahnik paid homage to her by debuting the shoe in his Spring 2008 collection. Each shoe is made with 144 Swarovski crystals, a bold act that might’ve sent his muse to the guillotine, but certainly a fitting homage to the extravagance synonymous with the era.

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5. Leva

Style Notes: Bringing things firmly into the 21st Century is the lace-up Leva style. With a slim strap that weaves and wraps up around the ankle, this sexy shoe is the perfect accompaniment to any glitzy mini or piece of party wear. Slightly bratty but still made with the expert Italian craftsmanship the brand is renowned for, expect these to be a Saturday night staple.

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6. BB Pumps

Style Notes: Drawing inspiration from another jet-setting tastemaker, the BB shoe is a classic court pump named after Brigitte Bardot. A hallmark of French New Wave cinema and the ultimate blonde bombshell, the timeless shape pays homage to the effortless elegance of the actress and her Saint Tropez cohort.

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Why Are Manolo Blahnik Shoes So Iconic?

Manolo Blahnik shoes are not only iconic, but amongst the best in the business, because of their craftsmanship, elegance, excellent designs and celebrity followers.

While Christian Louboutin has it red bottoms and Jimmy Choo has its glistening embellishments, Manolo Blahnik takes a more subtle approach to shoes with charming sophistication and ethereal femininity tantamount to everything he creates, whether it be a pair of strawberry macaron pink velvet strappy sandals reminiscent of the ones her created for the aforementioned biopic or marigold suede pumps with fringing inspired by opulent furnishings and fixtures found in 18th-century Austrian palaces and the palettes of the romantic art movement.

The brand was founded in 1970 after Blahnik set up shop in a quaint Chelsea studio and has been a pioneer of whimsicality and refinement ever since, 55 years later.

What Celebrities Wear Manolo Blahnik Shoes?

The starry celebrities who wear like Manolo Blahnik shoes read like the guest list to the most prestigious events in the fashion industry: Princess Diana, Rihanna, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Kate Moss, Sarah Jessica Parker, Elle Fanning, Selena Gomez, Hailey Bieber, Jennifer Aniston, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter... Need I go on?

How Much Were Manolo Blahniks in the '90s?

Given the fact that Manolo Blahnik shoes were so prolific in the '90s, it has spurred a lot of first-time luxury shoppers and curious style lovers who were born after the new millennium to wonder just how the shoes became so widespread in the decade. Of course, when we also have the historical archive that is Sex And The City, including an episode where Carrie Bradshaw realises she's gone into debt after buying one too many pairs, there are a lot of first-hand accounts that tell us how much Manolo Blahnik shoes actually were in the '90s.

Back in the '90s, a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes would've cost you £400. Today, styles begin at £650, which is not a steep increase considering the amount they would've cost thirty years ago would now actually retail over £950 if you factor in an average inflation of 2.5% each year. (And yes, I did the math so you don't have to.)

While I, of course, bagged mine for such a steal, the box-fresh price isn't that outrageous when you consider how staggering other high-end goods have become. Plus, there are a ton of vintage options in circulation on leading resale platforms and through second-hand stores, so you can always find a pair that might still boast the '90s price tag.

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