Once Upon A Manolo

To start with I need to tell you all that the Second Hand Rose has joined the Twitterati. Yes Ladies and Gentleman, the little blue bird has officially become part of my life, well my blog anyway. Sadly the Rose has seemed to wither this week with only gaining one follower, not having many comments or not having the best stats in the world, trust me I have checked at least a hundred times a day. So I'm hoping by adding Twitter to my blog, the rose will flourish and I will find more people to read my ramblings, without having to bribe everyone with chocolate. So if you would like to join me on there follow me here at Second_HandRose

So moving on from my plea, I would like to talk about one of the King of Kings,Manolo Blahnik. Well what can I say about him, the man is officially a genius. The shoe god has created hundreds of gorgeous designs and has made millions of women all over the world squeal with delight. If you are a fan of Sex and the City then you have definitely heard of him. He is Carrie Bradshaw's favourite shoe designer and she is seen many times strutting down fifth avenue in her Manolo Blahnik peep toe shoes. Lucky,lucky lady. I'm not jealous AT all.

Manolo is from the Canary Islands and you can definitely say that he has had an eventful life. This has all been documented in a book written by Camilla Morton, the author of 'How to Walk in High Heels: The Girl's Guide to Everything'. But this isn't just any old book about someone's life full of glossy pictures of them as a chubby baby in a bath tub. Oh no, this is an enchanting fairytale story based on his life cleverly intertwined with the classic fariy tale, The Elves and the Shoemaker.

Camilla likes to take classic fairytales and adapt them into a designers life. She has already done Christian Lacroix and the Tale of Sleeping Beauty. To top it off the book is complete with beautiful illustrations done by the man himself with exaggerated silhouettes and colourful flairs. With swirling red heels and green mistletoe stilettoes, because every girl needs them.

The magical book is a mix of a biography and a fairy story. It includes his childhood growing up on a plantation, his glamourous mother making her shoes to combat wartime restriction in style and much more. Along with a pinicle meeting with then US Vogue editor Diana Vreeland who told Manolo to focus on footwear. It also weaves Manolo's very first catwalk show for 70's icon Ossie Clark into the great story.

Manolo basically lives in the world of fairytale with his designs inspired by plants, flowers, artists and whimiscal shapes. He has also dressed a princess, namely Princess Diana who loved his shoes. Well what girl doesn't?
 Manolo said he enjoyed every moment of doing the illustrations and it was a very fun adventure. The drawings are simply beautiful, he must have used a hell of a lot of felt tips.


Camilla says she has ten other fairytale memoirs mapped out in her head paired up with people, que a designer game of Guess Who. She whispered to the world that the next person will be Diane Von Furstenburg, but she will not reveal what fairytale the designer's life will be part of. Which designer would you like to see have their life mixed in with a fairytale and what fairytale? I doubt anyone would want to be connected with Pinoccio though. Your life compiled with a lying wooden toy would probably not be the best career move.

So if like me you are buzzing to read this book or at least look at the amazing pictures, you can get it here: Manolo Blahnik's Elves Shoemaker Fairytale. You can also by the Christian Lacroix book here:Christian Lacroix Tale Sleeping Beauty. See I've made it very easy for you this year Father Christmas.

If you would love a slice of the Manolo Blahnik world then this book is for you, well its easier then getting a pair of £700 shoes isn't it. Every year I have written a note next to the fire with a mince pie and a carrot (in case he is on the Dukan diet) asking for a pair of Christian Louboutin's / Manolo Blahnik's or Jimmy Choo's, I'm not fussed really. Sadly they never seem to appear in my stocking but hopefully this year I will be able to get a snippet of the Manolo dream, even if it does come in hardback paper form.

Second Hand Rose
XxxX