Written by DLX contributor Romana Schützová in reference to museum Kampa Prague art of shoe exhibition by Manolo Blahnik.
Who could forget the stunning blue court shoes with a beautiful buckle gifted to Carrie by Mr. Big in Sex and the City? The luxury heels were designed by legendary fashion icon Manolo Blahnik. Following on from the Palazzo Morando in Milan and the State Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Prague is the next grand European city to host this exhibition dedicated to one of the most influential artists in the fashion industry at museum Kampa Prague.
At the Kampa Museum, you can admire 212 pairs of shoes and 80 original drawings from Blahnik´s personal archive. His obsessions and inspirations are wide — architecture, art, botany, literature, cinema, eighteenth century, Italy, Russia, Spain and many other cultural, extraordinary broad influences that fascinate him.
Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes is an intimate retrospective spanning 45 years dedicated to work of the Spanish designer, whose inventiveness and superb craft has managed to cross boundaries between fashion and art. The exhibition was opened in the presence of Manolo Blahnik himself and will remain open through November 12th, 2017 at museum Kampa Prague.
Starting from his first works in the early 1970s to present day, the final selection will also include the collection of Marie Antoinette-inspired shoes, which were created by Manolo Blahnik with Oscar winner Milena Canonero for Sofia Coppola’s film Marie Antoinette. You will be enlightened with insights into Manolo Blahnik’s extraordinary and complex universe with exclusive footage of him at work and his celebrated artistic drawings, which are works of art in their own right.
The exhibition is divided into six sections examining the constant themes to which Manolo Blahnik keeps returning throughout his career.
The first section, called “Gala,” displays a range of Blahnik’s most imaginative-exuberant shoes, all indicating his twist of irony, and fantasy. Next comes footwear inspired by Spain, Italy, Africa, Russia, England and Japan as well as the designer’s fascination with art and architecture, botanical world or a selection of shoes depicting elaborate details, rich fabrications and colors used through exquisite craftsmanship. The final and largest segment is the “Core section” which displays shoes dedicated to people most influential to Blahnik, from Anna Piaggi, the legendary fashion editor of Italian Vogue, to the actress Brigitte Bardot and King Alexander the Great.
Walking through the Museum Kampa Prague you will admire not only the extravagant shoes but also the unique historical building of the Sova’s Mills. Situated on the eastern bank of the island of Kampa, this magical place offers you a beautiful view of swirling water of the Vltava River and Magdalena Jetelova’s huge chair sculpture, which is situated outside the museum above the river.
For more on the Manolo Blahnik exhibition, visit the website here.
All images courtesy of Manolo Blahnik.