It’s easy to be swept away by Manolo Blahnik’s rich and romantic ode to Russia. The footwear maestro’s Fall ’15 collection tempts by contradicting where most of fashion is going. There are no wooden heels, fringe details or sporty white outsoles. And you can forget about utilitarian hardware. The Plinia suede bootie, with silver buckles laden with luminous crystals, is about as edgy as the collection gets.
Instead, Blahnik has created a dress range of tapered heel booties, pumps and flats befitting Russian royalty.
The color palette is moody and dramatic, some might say like a young heiress. Prominent notes of deep wine, burgundy, forest green and royal purple run throughout the collection. Embellishments, from gold scrollwork and giraffe-printed calf hair to jewel tone fur, are opulent nods to Russia’s zeal for the exotic and unexpected. Meanwhile, decadent flurries of crystals and gems fall perfectly in place on simple black boots.