Afternoon Tea & Lecture | Eighteenth-Century References in Manolo Blahnik Shoes with Dr Paola Di Trocchio

“I definitely belong to the eighteenth century” Manolo Blahnik

Known as the king of shoes, Manolo Blahnik launched his eponymous label in 1972. With the brand’s footwear crafted in a small Italian factory, the construction process can involve up to 200 individual stages. Showcasing elegant silhouettes, he uses film, popular culture and history as his influence. “I watch two films a day as I don’t sleep very much,” he says. He cites Barry Lyndon by Stanley Kubrick as the most beautiful film about the eighteenth century, calls himself a "frustrated film historian", and designed the shoes for Sophia Ford Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. Join Dr Paola Di Trocchio on a journey through Manolo Blahnik’s life, shoes, and their eighteenth-century references.

Join The Friends for another interesting and stimulating presentation. Afternoon tea, to include an array of delicious petit fours and biscuits, will be served on arrival. 

NOTE: Tickets for this event do not include access to our exhibition-house, Fairhall. Guided tours of the current exhibition can be booked separately. 

This event is supported by The Colin Holden Charitable Trust.