In just a few months’ time, you’ll find all the Manolo Blahnik shoes that your dreams are made of within the walls of Toronto’s Bata Shoe Museum.
Offering another reason to get excited for spring in the city, Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes will make its final and – somewhat surprisingly – only North American stop in Toronto from May 16 to January 6, 2019. Hitting the Bata Shoe Museum after shows in Milan, Russia, Prague, and Madrid, the must-attend, world-class exhibit offers a stunning retrospective of the iconic shoe that had Carrie Bradshaw’s heart.
Anyone who has gotten up close and personal with a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes fully understands that the footwear is a work of art in itself. It comes as no surprise, then, that the shoes as art are the underlying theme of the exhibition. Guests can expect a showcase of Blahnik’s 45 years of inventiveness and artisanship in creating elegant footwear that crosses the boundaries between fashion and art and has graced countless red carpets. Blahnik’s use of architectural and sculptural lines in his artful work transforms an everyday accessory into coveted creations of contemporary design, some 200 of which (all hand-selected) you’ll find within the walls of the Bata Shoe Museum come May.
In addition to the stunning (and totally photo-worthy) footwear, Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes will feature 80 original drawings that reflect Blahnik’s journey, inspiration, and achievements of the past four decades. It will offer insight as to how architecture, art, botany, literature, cinema, and travel have played a central role in the creation of Blahnik’s cherished designs. Highlights include rare footage of the artist at work, rare examples of Blahnik’s celebrated drawings and sketches, and the collection of Marie Antoinette shoes created for Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette.
“I cannot believe the touring exhibition is coming to an end, but I know that it will end on the most tremendous high at the Bata Shoe Museum,” said Blahnik. “What an honour for me, to display my shoes and sketches at such an esteemed establishment dedicated to the history of footwear. And Mrs. Bata, what an extraordinary woman – I am sure my shoes will feel very much at home with her divine collection. Toronto is such a fantastic, cultural city, I am thrilled to be returning!”
Once the exhibit opens its doors, we can expect programming like exclusive tours, workshops, a film series, a screening of Blahnik’s documentary The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards, and cocktail parties attended by an assortment of well-heeled Toronto movers and shakers.
“Manolo is fabulously visual, his mind restless and constantly curious about the world,” says Dr. Cristina Carillo de Albornoz, Guest Curator, Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes. “With each style, he tries to capture what he considers the essence of elegance, femininity, and beauty, which he had intertwined with his various cultural and emotional influences.”
Offering a consolation to the dollars you’ll probably drop on the fancy footwear after visiting the exhibit (let’s be honest), tickets are only $14. Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes opens to the public May 16.
Are you going to attend the Manolo Blahnik exhibit in Toronto? Let us know in the comments.
Featured image: Instagram/ @manoloblahnikhq
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