By Caroline Huftalen
SCAD Atlanta’s Trois Gallery has made every shoe lover’s dream come true with the current exhibition “Manolo Blahnik…the shoe,” on display until Sept. 23. The exhibition is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The collection was first displayed in Savannah after Blahnik was presented with the André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award at the SCAD fashion show last May, said Melissa Messina, senior curator of SCAD exhibitions.
“SCAD has a rich tradition of spotlighting this special awardee in a dynamic, focused, survey exhibition,” Messina said. “Mr. Blahnik and his staff was pleased with the success of the show in Savannah and impressed with the city’s and SCAD community’s reception of his work. He agreed to allow SCAD to [send] it to Atlanta for the benefit of the students and broader community.”
The exhibition will entice students from majors outside of traditional art forms. Fashion and accessory design, advertising and photography students will have a rare opportunity to see a showcase of one of the world’s most influential footwear designers, according to Messina.
“André Leon Talley, Mr. Blahnik and his staff were very involved in making the selections for the exhibition. Mr. Blahnik’s direct input was invaluable, as he is solely responsible for the design and prototype of every shoe and oversees every aspect of their production and marketing,” Messina said.
There are over 60 pairs of shoes represented, and they are divided into menswear, aggressive, graphic and botanical categories. According to Messina, each selection highlights Blahnik’s ideas, process and innovations in style and design.
“Some of the stand outs in the exhibition include three iconic shoes that were featured in the “Sex and the City” series as well as a selection of shoes worn by actresses in Sofia Coppola’s film “Marie Antoinette” which won an Academy Award for Best Costume,” Messina said. “Also presented are images from the Manolo Blahnik archive that showcase various ad campaigns, and several video clips from select interviews with Mr. Blahnik speaking firsthand about his work.”
Trois Gallery will be holding a reception for the exhibition, also free and open to the public, on Sept. 22, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information click here.
