*Left,* Manolo Blahnik on the streets of London, circa 1979; *right,* his New York and Paris maps.

Walking in Manolo Blahnik’s Shoes

From London and Paris to Milan and New York, the legendary designer shares his go-to spots in the cities he loves most

As the song by the Proclaimers goes, “I would walk 500 miles / And I would walk 500 more”—though in Manolo Blahnik shoes, the journey would no doubt be infinitely more glamorous. “Shoes should be extravagant but comfortable,” the designer has said. “I want women to be able to walk around in them all day.”

That sentiment sets the tone for Manolo’s Maps, a charming personal guide to the cities that shaped Blahnik’s life. In London, there’s the tiny Old Church Street shop where he opened his first boutique more than 55 years ago; in New York, the museums and cultural institutions that inspired some of his most referenced works; and in Paris, it’s a trail of storied cafés. “They are cities that have opened doors, where I have met some of my closest friends and collaborators, and they represent both my playgrounds and my artistic education,” he says. “I do hope people enjoy walking in my footsteps, and perhaps, in some small way, along the timeline of my life as well.”