From Sandals to Stilettos: The Evolution of Women’s Footwear and the Legacy of Manolo Blahnik
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Footwear has always been more than a way to protect our feet, it’s a mirror of culture, creativity, and identity. Shoes tell the story of who we are and where we’ve been. From the earliest sandals worn by ancient civilizations to the sophisticated stilettos of modern luxury, footwear reflects society’s values, innovations, and even politics.
Over centuries, women’s footwear has carried powerful meanings. A shoe can symbolize status, independence, or transformation—think of Cinderella’s glass slipper or Dorothy’s ruby heels. But beyond fairy tales, real-life fashion designers have turned shoes into a language of empowerment. One of the greatest examples is Manolo Blahnik, whose handcrafted designs combined classic artistry with modern femininity. His work bridged the gap between fashion and pop culture, proving that shoes could be both objects of beauty and tools of confidence.
This blog traces the evolution of women’s footwear through history, its cultural symbolism, its craftsmanship, and its transformation in the hands of designers like Manolo Blahnik, whose legacy forever changed how women walk through the world.
The Origins of Footwear: From Necessity to Symbolism
In the beginning, shoes were purely practical. People in cold regions wrapped their feet in fur, while those in warmer climates tied reeds and leather into sandals to protect against harsh terrain. But as civilizations grew, shoes became far more than protection—they became a mark of class and style.
Ancient Roman styles of sandals. Adapted from The Dynamics of Fashion (6th ed., p. 280) by E. Stone & S. A. Farnan, 2022, Bloomsbury USA.
In ancient Egypt, only royalty and priests wore decorated sandals, while Greek and Roman citizens expressed their social rank through the materials and colors of their shoes. Shoes became a visible sign of power what you wore on your feet could tell the world exactly who you were.
This relationship between footwear and identity carried into literature and mythology. Characters like Hermes, the Greek god with winged sandals, represented speed and freedom. Even children’s stories centered around shoes: glass slippers, magic boots, and ruby heels all symbolized transformation and destiny.
By the time of the Renaissance, footwear had evolved from a necessity into a status symbol. For women, it often represented elegance and luxury but also restriction. The higher the shoe, the less practical it was, reinforcing the idea that beauty often required sacrifice. Yet, as fashion evolved, so did women’s desire to move, work, and express themselves freely.
Renaissance Elegance and Industrial Growth
During the Renaissance, European nobility took footwear to dramatic new heights literally. Women in Venice wore platform shoes called chopines that could reach up to 20 inches tall. These towering shoes required assistance to walk in and symbolized wealth and exclusivity. They were as much about being seen as they were about fashion.
As centuries passed, function began to balance with form. Professions and lifestyles dictated shoe design: ballet dancers perfected pointe shoes, cowboys relied on leather boots, and Arctic trappers wore snowshoes. The connection between work, identity, and footwear became part of human culture.
The Industrial Revolution changed everything. Factories began mass-producing shoes, making them accessible to everyday people for the first time. Yet, even as production grew, craftsmanship remained a marker of luxury. Handmade shoes became the difference between utility and art. By the early 20th century, women’s footwear became a key part of modern style—reflecting freedom, sophistication, and personality.
Shoe and bootmaking workshop in Marshfield, Massachusetts, showing traditional tools and storage. Adapted from Shoe & Boot Making in Marshfield by W. Freden, 2023. Retrieved from https://wrayfreden.com/2023/01/24/shoe-boot-making-in-marshfield/
The Rise of Style: Women’s Footwear in the 20th Century
The early 1900s ushered in a new era of style. As women’s hemlines rose in the 1920s, shoes finally had their moment to shine. For the first time, footwear became visible in fashion and designers responded with innovation.
The postwar years of the 1940s and 1950s saw the rise of the high heel as a global symbol of femininity. Designers like Salvatore Ferragamo and Christian Dior created sleek, sculpted heels that celebrated elegance and confidence. Shoes became works of architecture, balancing the fine line between strength and delicacy.
By the 1960s and 1970s, change was in the air. Comfort joined fashion. Women were entering the workforce, joining universities, and leading movements. Their shoes needed to match their pace. Sneakers, boots, and flats became staples, representing independence and individuality. This was the foundation for designers like Manolo Blahnik to reimagine what it meant to wear heels, not as a symbol of restraint, but of power.
Manolo Blahnik: The Artist Behind the Heel
Born in the Canary Islands in 1942, Manolo Blahnik grew up surrounded by creativity and design. He studied architecture and art before discovering his passion for footwear in the early 1970s. After showing his sketches to Vogueeditor Diana Vreeland, who told him to “make shoes,” he shifted his focus entirely and fashion history changed forever.
His designs were different from anything else. Every pair of Manolos was handmade in Italy, with meticulous attention to balance and form. His signature stilettos were elegant yet practical, combining craftsmanship with emotion. Blahnik once said that shoes should “dance with the foot,” and that belief guided every creation.
Manolo Blahnik “BB 105 mm” suede pump. Retrieved from Neiman Marcus product page.
Celebrities, models, and royalty quickly fell in love with his work. Unlike mass-produced luxury brands, Blahnik stayed true to his artistic roots, sketching every design himself and overseeing production personally. His shoes became the ultimate blend of comfort, confidence, and couture—an identity that resonated deeply with modern women.
Pop Culture Fame: Manolo Blahnik and Sex and the City
Although Blahnik was already a legend in fashion, his name reached global fame in the late 1990s thanks to HBO’s Sex and the City. The show’s main character, Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, adored her “Manolos.” They became part of her personality. Her heels represented ambition, independence, and romance all at once.
Scene from Sex and the City featuring Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big, highlighting the famous blue Manolo Blahnik heels worn in the film adaptation.
Manolo Blahnik Hangisi pumps in blue. - Manolo Blahnik
Carrie’s love for her shoes turned them into cultural symbols. Her closet of Manolos became shorthand for freedom, self-expression, and success. She wasn’t just collecting heels, she was collecting milestones. When she said she’d “literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes,” it spoke to how deeply fashion connects to identity.
The media impact was incredible. During the show’s run, Manolo Blahnik’s sales reportedly jumped by nearly 40 percent. And when the Sex and the City movie premiered in 2008, featuring the now-iconic blue satin Hangisi pumps, those shoes became instant bestsellers. Priced at $945, they sold out immediately, and fans lined up at Bergdorf Goodman for a chance to meet Blahnik and have him autograph their pairs.
This moment proved that fashion isn’t just shaped by designers but it’s shaped by storytelling. Manolo Blahnik became not just a brand, but a dream shared by millions of women who saw his shoes as symbols of beauty, independence, and aspiration.
Shoes as Empowerment and Expression
What makes Manolo Blahnik’s work so special is that his shoes tell a story about power and femininity. For generations, high heels were seen as restrictive or impractical. Blahnik changed that narrative. His designs celebrated movement, confidence, and joy.
Each pair is sculpted to highlight the wearer’s strength, not hide it. Women wearing Manolos aren’t performing for anyone, they’re walking for themselves. His artistry proved that luxury doesn’t have to mean discomfort.
Today, his designs are displayed in museums like the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, solidifying his legacy as an artist as much as a designer. His shoes stand alongside historical artifacts and modern masterpieces because they represent more than fashion, they represent empowerment, creativity, and freedom.
The Modern Era: Sustainability and Innovation in Footwear
While Manolo Blahnik’s craftsmanship represents timeless luxury, the footwear industry continues to evolve. Today, sustainability and technology are shaping the next generation of shoe design. Modern consumers want style and comfort without compromising ethics or the planet.
Brands like Rothy’s, Veja, and Allbirds create shoes from recycled plastic bottles, organic cotton, and natural fibers. Their designs prove that footwear can be both fashionable and environmentally responsible. Even major fashion houses are experimenting with biodegradable materials and digital manufacturing.
In a way, this innovation reflects Blahnik’s own philosophy, shoes as a blend of beauty, art, and thoughtfulness. The modern footwear industry, from luxury to everyday wear, continues to expand on his legacy of craftsmanship and creativity.
The Power of a Shoe: Fashion, Identity, and Legacy
Shoes have always carried meaning. They’re the final touch that completes an outfit but also the foundation that carries us forward. Throughout history, they’ve represented everything from social class to self-discovery. In today’s world, they’ve become an extension of personality.
Manolo Blahnik captured that perfectly. His designs represent more than luxury—they represent how fashion can tell personal stories. His shoes made women feel seen, powerful, and beautiful on their own terms. From the cobblestone streets of Venice to the sidewalks of New York, shoes have become symbols of freedom and individuality.
Fashion trends will continue to change. Heels may get higher, sneakers may get sleeker, but one thing will never fade: shoes will always represent the steps we take toward who we want to be. And thanks to designers like Manolo Blahnik, every step can feel like art.
References
Blahnik, M. (2024). Manolo Blahnik official website. https://www.manoloblahnik.com/
Harper’s Bazaar. (2022, August 15). The legacy of Manolo Blahnik: How Carrie Bradshaw made him an icon.https://www.harpersbazaar.com/
La Ferla, R. (2008, September 11). At Bergdorf, Manolo Blahnik fans line up for their idol. The New York Times.https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/fashion/11ROW.html
Manolo Blahnik. (n.d.). The man. https://www.manoloblahnik.com/us/the-man?srsltid=AfmBOopD2YGsh4WVbpRu1f7KNpB8KXsMXXNl545IkDG4Kpm5XsHtDZqE
The New York Times. (2003, October 12). Sex and the City gives Manolo Blahnik a boost. https://www.nytimes.com/
Victoria and Albert Museum. (2024). Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes exhibit. https://www.vam.ac.uk/
Vogue. (2023, November 10). Manolo Blahnik: The designer who made shoes an art form. https://www.vogue.com/
Stone, E., & Farnan, S. A. (2022). The Dynamics of Fashion (6th ed.). Bloomsbury USA. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781501373053
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