Manolo Superstar (Meeting Manolo Blahnik – Video)

[Article is blogger’s own, as published in Madame Figaro Cyprus, Dec. 2010 issue. International copyrights apply. Photo Gallery at the end of the article] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCn39W9no7o]

Thankfully, I haven’t felt like a groupie since I was 10. And I had never expected I would feel the groupie fever ever again – let alone that I wouldn’t catch it at a concert of the latest music sensation but in an event starring a middle aged plus man who isn’t even a Rolling Stone. That’s exactly what happened though – not only to me, but to dozens of shoe lovers who caught the same fever, all at the same time and date. 21^st October, the “shoe wizard”, Manolo Blahnik, had his London fans queuing, causing them hysteric reactions worthy of a rock star.

«This is on tomorrow. It’s a free event that’s on at LIBERTY, just off Regent Street. Think Carrie Bradshaw. Enjoy» I just read the email my lecturer at Central St Martins and Fashion Marketing Consultant Erica Charles sent to all of her students. Manolo Blahnik in London? To sign copies of his new book? WOW. I still don’t know if it was me or my automated fashion sense who picked up the phone to contact the Liberty of London asking them to cover the event as the fashion editor of www.Sigmalive.com. A polite but disappointing answer informed me I was most welcome to attend, but I had to be aware that the event was dedicated to consumers, which meant only the official blog of Liberty would be entitled to interview Mr Blahnik. «No interview? Never mind. Flexibility is half the story», I thought as I was walking towards the store an hour and a half before the book-signing event started, sure to be there before everyone else.

Surprise surprise, the huge queue I sighted could only be compared to the queuing at the first day of the sales. Men and women, standing in groups or on their own, had covered the Great Malborough Street side of the store, waiting patiently for the event to begin. Bloggers appeared every now and then, delighted to take pictures of the people queuing so they could write their own street style stories. Most of the crowd was longing to get hold of the new book, “Manolo’s New Shoes”, by Thames and Hudson, whereas some had brought along his previous book to have it signed. Many preferred to buy from the exclusive collection of shoes and silk scarves Manolo Blahnik created for Liberty and have those signed better than the book – you can’t wear a book so that makes it more difficult to carry around and show the autograph to people.

Whatever the case, the recompense for the long time and the freezing temperatures the queue had to tolerate was Blahnik’s spontaneous, sincere smile and the open-heartedness in which the designer greeted each one of his fans. «Your work is such an inspiration to everyone who loves fashion or works in it», I told him when I approached carrying my own pile of books to be signed for me and my friends in Cyprus and Greece. «Well that means there’s something I’m doing right in my life – at least according to you», he answered laughing. «I think it’s not only me who believes so», I answered back, nodding to the direction of the queue popping round the corner of the entrance.

Apart from women, among the people queuing you could see several men as well. Others admiring Manolo Blahnik as a designer and a personality, others meaning to buy presents and get them signed, in order to surprise their wives or girlfriends –or maybe both. «It’s my wife’s birthday today. Imagine her bliss when she sees the book with the autograph and her name in it», a hefty 45-year-old man told me as he walked by after a modest hand-shaking with Blahnik. «Did you get her any pair of Manolos too?», I asked the man. «Οf course not – what if they weren’t the right Manolos!» I didn’t know such thing as «wrong Manolos» existed. «I don’t want her nagging… The autographed copy of the book is enough for the birthday surprise, then she may take my credit card and choose the Manolos she likes», he said, rushing to take the Manolo trophy to the birthday girl.

Suddenly I hear a fuss and I turn to see what’s going on. A 34-year-old woman had burst into tears when it was her turn to speak with Manolo Blahnik. Astonished, the designer hugged her, trying to calm her down. «Cheer up, don’t be upset! It’s alright, cheer up!», he kept saying to her until she was finally able to smile back at him. Blahnik’s assistants giggled and helped the woman take pictures with her fashion icon.

Not long after, I listen to another woman telling me she was unemployed and had been saving for months from her benefits in order to buy the pair of Manolos the designer had just signed for her – I can’t believe I heard that.

In the end, it seems to me that status symbols such as high-fashion shoes aren’t but tiny particles of dream and hope to keep us walking, both literally and metaphorically. And the “shoe wizard” appears more than willing to keep our sparkles of hope alive in any possible way. The second time I meet Manolo Blahnik, a few days later, I arrive at the Cochrane Theatre with Erica Charles, right after class, the moment Manolo Blahnik is concluding his open conversation with the students of the University of Arts. The designer is thrilled by Erica’s idea about supporting «Mary’s Living and Giving Shop» for «Save the Children», offering the charity 10 signed copies of his first book by Thames & Hudson. «We missed the conversation though», we say to Mr Blahnik. «Never mind, you missed nothing», he answers laughing in modesty, adding with his characteristic sense of humour, «I didn’t understand either what I was saying after a while!»