Voting Station

Manolo Blahnik

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Designer

The Resume

    (November 28, 1942- )
    Born in Santa Cruz de la Palma , Spain
    Grew up on a banana plantation in the Canary Islands
    Opened his first store in London (1973) and first Manolo Blahnik boutique in Hong Kong (1991)
    Footwear made culturally famous by repeated referencing in the TV series 'Absolutely Fabulous' and 'Sex and the City'
    Received an Honorary Doctorate from London's Royal College of Arts (2001)
    Made Honorary Royal Designer for Industry in London (2001)
    Honored as the first shoe designer to merit an exhibition at the Design Museum in London (2003)

Why he might be annoying:

    He showed his first sketches to a famed New York fashion editor wearing a red-and-white gingham suit, who looked at his attire and decried, 'You should make shoes.'
    He's uncomfortable with fame, claiming, 'I'm not at all social. My life is not pretty at all...but it's the nature of the business, to be seen.'
    He uses terms like 'toe cleavage,' and Madonna claims his shoes are 'better than sex - and last longer.'
    If you have to ask how much his shoes go for, you can't afford them (they START at $550).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He had no formal training as a shoemaker; his self-taught skills are fueled by imagination.
    He is a loyal friend and defends troubled models Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.
    His favorite early models are Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton.
    He believes models 'are more important than the designers.'
    Marge wore a pair of his shoes in an early 1991 episode of 'The Simpsons.'
    Asked if the rumor he hated 'Sex and the City' was true he said, 'It's bullshit. I'm grateful until I drop dead!'
    He refuses to be bought out, stating, 'I don't belong to anyone. I have had huge offers. Huge! But I have my flowers, I have my house cleaned. I'm OK: I don't need money.'

Credit: Scar Tactics


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 76.92% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 26 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 72 Votes: 56.94% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 16 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 322 Votes: 75.16% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 83 Votes: 69.88% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 31 Votes: 61.29% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 31 Votes: 67.74% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 119 Votes: 71.43% Annoying