Christina Blahnik is the niece of the founder of the Manolo Blahnik brand. Originally working in the construction industry, she joined Manolo Blahnik in 2009 to help her uncle manage the brand. Christina shared her personal memories with L'OFFICIEL, talked about the brand's positioning and showed her favorite models.

Every woman has her shoe wish-list, but are there any pieces by legendary shoe designer Manolo Blahnik on your list? Manolo Blahnik, born in Spain, is known as the "King of Shoes". He opened his first store in London, in 1971. His work has been favored by royalty, celebrities and fashionistas for years.

L'OFFICIEL: Can you share a memory of your first contact with Manolo Blahnik?
Kristina Blahnik: The first thing I had by Manolo, was not a shoe, but a handbag. When I was 6 years old, my family moved to England. After school, I always went to my uncle's store and did my homework upstairs while my mother and uncle managed the store. Then I would clean all the leather shoes in the store and arrange them neatly. For this I received a reward of 10p each week. I remember at the time there was an envelope bag on display in the store for &pound;50. Although its design was quite simple, I fell in love with it at first sight (and I was 6 years old). So I worked hard and put aside pocket money every week and finally I bought this handbag, my first Manolo handbag.

L'OFFICIEL: What prompted you to leave the construction industry and take over the brand?
Kristina Blahnik: It wasn't originally in my plans. My mom, uncle and family always encouraged me to do what I love. I love art and math. When I was 17, I decided to become an architect, so I studied architecture and then started my own company. During this period, I also helped design the Manolo Blahnik store. When I was in my thirties, I began to contemplate my next path. One day my uncle was unable to visit a shoe factory, so I decided to temporarily postpone construction work to help him. Later, it took me six or seven years to really understand my goals and ambitions. As a second-generation brand owner, heritage is very important to me. I am here to preserve the design and craftsmanship that our family symbolizes, without compromise.

L'OFFICIEL: How would you describe the Manolo Blahnik brand? What sets it apart from other luxury footwear brands on the market?
Kristine Blahnik: We are independent and have autonomy in our decision-making. Because there are only two shareholders in Manolo Blahnik, my uncle and my mother, and no other shareholders, and we have never attracted investors or taken out a loan. Because the brand has always developed independently, we have a unique position in the market and do not compete with other groups. We have always strived to be ourselves and maintain our own creativity, aesthetics, tradition, culture, history and quality.

L'OFFICIEL: How do you keep Manolo Blahnik's legacy alive and move the brand forward?
Kristina Blahnik: We are proud of the classic Manolo Blahnik shoes and we will always keep these shoes. For example, the Carolyne model is almost 40 years old, the Campari is turning 30 this year and the BB Pump will be 20 years old in a few years. Simple silhouettes are what we strive for in timeless design. However, both timeless and creative are equally important. Small details in a painting can be the inspiration for a series, inspiring us to bring new ideas to existing styles, so 1980s designs are still timeless.

L'OFFICIEL: Which shoe style from Manolo Blahnik's collection is your favorite?
Kristina Blahnik: Right now my favorite is the Maysale series, which was launched in 1990 and is now 34 years old. I most often wear loafers, as well as flat-soled shoes and 5 cm heels. In my daily life, I wear Maysale occasionally in different places, such as on a walk with my dog and at work. I will wear it on my walk even on rainy days. Lately I also like to wear Carolyne because a pair of Carolyne can be combined with 5 different clothing styles.

Exclusive interview with Cristina Blahnik

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