By Zahra Al-Kateb
Manolo Blahnik has announced his very first line of evening clutches inspired by his world-famous ornate footwear.
Taking inspiration from his legendary Hangisi pump – the satin heel featuring a square bejeweled buckle which earned a starring role in Sex and the City – the clutch bags also feature the similar Italian artisan-made Swarovski hardware and make a perfect pairing.
The designer told Vogue: “The bags are, of course, linked to my shoes. They are inspired by the ornaments I use for some of my classic designs, but bigger and more striking.
“I am always inspired by beautiful women from the past and present, so when I thought about doing a collection of bags, I was sure they were going to be evening bags for the women of today. I love ornaments in my shoes so why not add these to the bags too? These bags are an extension of some of the shoe styles I really like as I wanted to keep the connection between the shoes and bags”.
His famed shoes have been spotted on A list celebrities for years, with the Olsen twins being snapped in almost every color, and Olivia Palermo wearing a royal blue pair on her wedding day as her “Something Blue”.
Blahnik has previously designed a few shoe-complementing bags before, but has never developed a full, standalone line until now. The satin bags come in an array of bright colors and are predicted to become a sellout.
The collection is priced from £1,320 to £1,480 and is expected to be available in stores in the US and UK from July.
www.manoloblahnik.com