Nepala and Rampa shoe designs from Manolo Blahnik's collection for Liberty
We've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the World of Manolo at Liberty since the collaboration between the renowned cobbler and the historic British retailer was announced back in March. And from the look of the prints, shoes and accessories on offer, it's even better than we could have hoped for.
The World of Manolo - a bespoke Art Nouveau-style area housed on Liberty's ground floor - will be unveiled at Fashion's Night Out on 8th September and will be stocked with the shoes that drove Carrie Bradshaw wild. A special collection of Blahnik's designs will be available, marking the first time his creations have been sold outside of his UK flagship store, as well as a selection from his a/w 2010 collection. In addition, the designer has created exclusive new styles using Liberty archive prints from the 60s.
Not content with just delving into Liberty's extensive fabric archive, which boasts over 43,000 designs, Blahnik also opted to create three exclusive prints of his own, inspired by his favourite flower, the rosebud, his a/w 2010 shoe and boot designs and the 50s. These limited-edition fabrics will be sold by the metre.
Blahnik has also created a collection of limited-edition products and accessories, including a scented candle with perfumer Lyn Harris, bow ties, stationery, umbrellas, notebooks, shoe horns, cushions and scarves. The designer's latest book of sketches, entitled Manolo's New Shoes, will also be available from 13th September.
There is one risk to consider when entering the World of Manolo - you may never want to leave.