If you are lucky enough to acquire a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes, it may be difficult to decide whether to hang them on the wall or to wear them. While you will most likely choose to wear them, many consider these designer shoes to truly be works of art. The story of Manolo Blahnik's career is also quite compelling.

In the early '70s, Manolo Blahnik was living in London. He made many friends in the high fashion circuit as he was working as a photographer. He had ideas about designing sets for the theatre and his friend, Paloma Picasso, introduced him to the chief editor of Vogue in New York, Diana Vreeland. She urged him to show her some of his sketches, but she was most impressed by the shoes the characters were wearing in them. She suggested that he design shoes.

After spending a couple of years designing shoes for the catwalk shows of some of the world's leading designers, such as Calvin Klein, Joe Galliano and Yves Saint Laurent, Manolo Blahnik opened his own shoe boutique in London in 1973. From the beginning, Manolo Blahnik shoes have been among the favorite designer choices of celebrities and even royalty.

Manolo Blahnik is solely responsible for all of his designs, as he sketches every single one of his shoe creations and personally creates every prototype by hand. He then supervises every aspect from production to final illustrations and advertising campaigns. All Manolo Blahnik shoes--from pumps and stilettos to heels and boots--display his signature style; when you see Manolo Blahnik shoes, you know it.