Manolo Blahnik’s lifelong fascination with Marie Antoinette is about to take center stage. This September, the Victoria and Albert Museum opens Marie Antoinette Style, an ambitious exhibition tracing the queen’s enduring influence on fashion, design, and culture. Curated by Dr. Sarah Grant, the show follows her journey from the opulence of Versailles to becoming a lasting symbol of style.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Manolo Blahnik
Blahnik’s connection to the queen began early. His mother read him Stefan Zweig’s 1932 biography as a bedtime story, which sparked a lifelong obsession. Years later, he studied 18th-century footwear in the V&A archives. That research informed the candy-colored shoes he designed for Milena Canonero’s Oscar-winning costumes in Sofia Coppola’s 2006 cult film Marie Antoinette.
Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Manolo Blahnik
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Manolo Blahnik
The exhibition showcases a curated selection of queen-inspired shoes from the Manolo Blahnik archives. Additionally, original sketches offer a rare glimpse into how he translates historic references into his covetable creations.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Manolo Blahnik
Meanwhile, Blahnik is celebrating with an 11-piece capsule collection that brings the queen’s lavish aesthetic into the present. The collection emcompasses four inspiration points, Valois gleams in iridescent pink silk with delicate pleats and a pale brooch. Rohan channels Rococo pastels. Fontanblas features striped Claremont fabric inspired by an 18th-century portrait. Finally, Montemedy highlights hand-cut floral motifs taken from her furniture.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Manolo Blahnik
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Manolo Blahnik
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Manolo Blahnik
The collection launches September 16 and will be sold exclusively on ManoloBlahnik.com and, in the U.S., at Manolo Blahnik Madison Avenue and Miami Design District. Its global debut aligns with the opening of Marie Antoinette Style on September 18 at the V&A South Kensington, where the exhibition runs through March 2026.