MANOLO BLAHNIK became a household name when "Sex and the City" made his sexy stilettos practically a member of the cast. But before Carrie Bradshaw started giving him shout-outs, the shoe guru was already a star to the well-heeled women who wear and collect his designs -- a list that includes Madonna, Bianca Jagger and Diane von Furstenberg.
Blahnik's shoes are a perennial on Hollywood red carpets -- as common as Spanx and cleavage tape. And last week, Hollywood thanked the designer for his contributions to the entertainment and fashion industries by awarding him the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award. Past recipients of the annual award, which is given by the city of Beverly Hills and the Rodeo Drive Committee, have included Tom Ford and Salvatore Ferragamo.
Known for his whimsical, color-drenched takes on the classic stiletto (priced from $525 to $2,685), Blahnik sparked the current craze for designer shoes with artisan pedigrees -- paving the road to success for posh footwear brands, including Christian Louboutin and Jimmy Choo. In L.A., Blahnik devotees shop at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills, which showcases the brand in its own section, and his most fervent admirers turned up at the department store Friday to have their heels signed by the man himself.
The designer, who's fond of wearing bow ties and Saville Row suits, zipped into town to accept the Walk of Style award -- the latest in a growing list of accolades he's accrued over the years, including three awards each for outstanding accessory design from the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the British Fashion Council. In 2003, the Design Museum in London staged a major exhibition of his work, and two years later, Blahnik dipped his well-shod foot into film (a genre he's eager to continue working in) when he crafted the ornate, flare-heeled shoes for Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette," which won an Oscar for best costume design.
Blahnik's lifelong love of movies -- particularly golden oldies starring screen sirens such as Rita Hayworth and Ann-Margret -- is why he calls Los Angeles "a spiritual home" (the 65-year-old was mighty upset when he discovered that the Turner Classic Movies channel wasn't available at his hotel).
During his brief stay in L.A., we sat down with the effervescent footwear phenom. Born in the Canary Islands but a longtime resident of London, he speaks with a heavy, lilting accent -- and rapid-fire enthusiasm:
