Manolo Blahnik, the luxury shoe designer that shot to mainstream fame via Sex and the City, is the subject of a new documentary. But where does the shoemaker fit into our post-Carrie Bradshaw culture?
In the 13 years since Sex and the City has been off the air, there’s been plenty of discussion of whether the indulgent, man-crazy lifestyle the show centered on would still hold up in our more progressive modern world. While the verdict’s ultimately still out on that question, one vital part of the popular HBO series is getting a second on-screen life. Luxury shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, the brain behind some of Carrie Bradshaw’s most iconic (and ridiculously expensive) footwear on the show, is the subject of the new documentary Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards. The biopic’s trailer was released this week ahead of the film’s scheduled Sept. 15 opening.
The trailer features interviews with the 74-year-old Spanish designer himself, as well as commentary from titans of the fashion industry from Vogue editor Anna Wintour to Rihanna to Naomi Campbell. The movie’s title comes from an anecdote Blahnik shares in the trailer describing his life-long passion for designing shoes, so much so that, yes, he used to design shoes for lizards as a child.
Blahnik is certainly a fascinating figure and his work has made a major impact on the fashion industry, not to mention on the aspirational shopping wish list of women around the world. But I couldn’t help but wonder (catch that subtle SATC reference?): do viewers still care? Obviously, those who follow the fashion world closely or who can afford a closet full of $965 satin pumps may very well flock to the theaters for this. And I’d imagine because of the obscene level of collective style the film’s interview subjects exude, and the sheer beauty of Manolo shoes themselves, the movie will be breathtaking from an artistic perspective. And yet, it still feels a little outdated, like ordering cosmos and referring to yourself as “a Samantha” in 2017.
Obviously, Blahnik’s legacy is far larger than the fact that he was occasionally worshiped on a popular TV series. His famous fans clearly still swear by his eye for design (Wintour even says in the trailer she doesn’t even consider wearing other kinds of shoes, because of course she doesn’t). But as far as the current cultural climate goes, it feels like this release is a decade late. If other recent pop culture developments are any indication, it seems audiences might be in a place where they’re over the whole “I wish I had $1,000 to spend on high heels” thing. Whether it’s women’s magazines (and pop culture depictions of them) shifting toward more hard-hitting content or the more politically-inclined Stephen Colbert and Samantha Bee beating out their fluffier counterparts in Thursday’s Emmy nominations, the media-consuming public seems to be interested in more than fancy shoes.
Which is not to say there’s anything wrong with being interested in fancy shoes. I know I am. They’re a unique work of art you can wear. And speaking from experience, there’s a distinct form of empowerment in rocking a fierce pair of stilettos (especially the pricey ones).
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Blahnik’s talent and story are worthy of being celebrated. And from the look of the trailer, the celebration will be a lot of fun to watch. It just feels a little, well, out of style.