For those of you fashion lovers, the most anticipated week of September is in full effect, New York Fashion Week. From September 10th – September 17th, there will be a million shows to attend or watch via stream, a ton of events and a wish list of clothes to lust after for the upcoming spring season. As someone who has worked behind the scenes, in front the scenes and attended a variety of shows I can honestly say that my favorite part of fashion week aside from the beautiful clothes are the interesting events that happen throughout the week.
I recently attended a conversation at the new Rizzoli Bookstore in New York City where the shoe God himself, Manolo Blahnik and the incomparable André Leon Talley discussed Manolo’s new published work of art “Manolo Blahnik: Fleeting Gestures and Obsessions.” The new bookstore, located on 26th and Broadway, is set in a really beautiful space. The discussion took place in a quaint room with a ton of Manolo aficionados including myself. When Mr. Manolo Blahnik makes an appearance it really is a BIG DEAL.
The flow of the conversation was very intimate between Blahnik and Talley. It was obvious from their dynamic that these two fashion icons were old friends who respected and supported each other. Aside from chuckles from the crowd witnessing the playful banter between the two men the discussion covered a lot of ground in a small amount of time.
Film, which has heavily influenced Manolo throughout the years, was a main discussion point and it kicked off the conversation. The two friends reminisced a lot on the 70s and when they first met. These fond memories were important because the book really embraces different time periods throughout Manolo’s career through his shoes. A fond memory the two had was vacationing in Bath, Somerset London, as well as, André praising Manolo’s amazing cooking skills. Who knew!
An interesting moment throughout the discussion was when Talley asked Blahnik how he felt about fashion today and if he thought it was trash compared to the 70s. Blahnik stated “trash is necessary for us to appreciate the beauty and the quality of style.” Wise words don’t you think? Next, Talley, who we all know has an extreme amount of adoration for my fashion icon, Rihanna, asked Blahnik his thoughts on the Bajan beauty. To my delightful surprise, Mr. Manolo Blahnik himself praised Rihanna’s sense of style saying she is a movement.
To conclude the discussion, Talley asked Blahnik what truly inspires him. Obviously, he is inspired by everything around him, but women are a focal inspiration for him. How they walk is intricate to why he is captivated by the female species stating “It is all in the movement. You have to be very observant of how a women walks.” It was clear that when Talley praised the man he knows as a dear friend and congratulated him on an amazing encyclopedic fashion book that it was said with the most highest of admiration for what Manolo has accomplished.
All Images: Courtesy of Rizzoli
To purchase the book and indulge in a lifetime of Manolo’s shoes and the stories behind them visit: Rizzoli.
*This write up was done solely from my view point and shortened for posting purposes.