Fashion designer Manolo Blahnik was born on November 28, 1942, in the Canary Islands, Spain.

He grew up in a family that owned a banana plantation, and moved to Paris in 1965. He studied stage decoration at the Louvre and the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He then worked in boutiques in London, while also taking on assignments as an interviewer and photographer for fashion magazines.

In 1970, Manolo visited the United States. There, he met Diana Vreeland, then editor-in-chief of American Vogue, who praised his talent. She advised him to become a shoe designer, and Manolo gained experience as a designer at Casadei. He was eventually commissioned by the popular London boutique Zapata, where he designed a number of women's shoes. After the shoes used in the Ossie Clark show gained popularity, Manolo opened his first boutique in Chelsea in 1973.

From then on, Manolo received requests from numerous brands to create shoes for their collections. These achievements were recognized, and he won numerous fashion awards, including the CFDA Best Accessories Designer Award. In the 1990s, Manolo shoes became a huge hit with celebrities and fashionistas, including Princess Diana and Madonna.

In addition, when the television drama "Sex and the City" began airing in the United States in 1998, the main character, Carrie, collected Manolo shoes, which brought the brand's name to nationwide recognition. As a result, in 2008, the brand received the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award, awarded to creators who have contributed to the entertainment industry, solidifying its position as a prestige brand. In 2014, the brand launched the "SJP" collection, designed by Sarah Jessica Parker, who played Carrie.