As the Spanish footwear brand launches its Manolo’s Silhouettes capsule,Manolo Blahnik“I really was born in a shoebox; one of my earliest memories is from when I was about eight years old, sitting on my uncle’s lap and watching him design shoes,” recounts Kristina Blahnik. While many of us have played dress up in our mother’s too-big-for-us heels, not many can say they’ve pranced around awkwardly in Blahniks—and certainly not in the presence of the iconic designer himself.
Equipped with a sharp business acumen and a bold collaborative spirit, she looks back on some of the most fulfilling projects she’s spearheaded since being with the company. “Opening the pop-up at Liberty’s in 2010 was one of the craziest things I’ve ever done. My architecture practice designed it, and we made lots of special products for it—and all in just 10 months,” she reveals. Other noteworthy partnerships over the years include a highly coveted capsule with pop icon.