3 February 2016

My Tipsy Encounter with Manolo Blahnik: Burlington Arcade Opening night!



Tonight is, again, one of the decidedly more extravagant and exciting nights of my life.
The event tonight was a celebration to welcome Manolo's new Burlington Arcade store.
It was held by Vogue, and Mr. Blahnik was interviewed by Vogue's Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey (who I met already at the Vogue Night Out event at Westfield end of 2015).

The event was; as illustrated by my photo's, a classy sophisticated evening with canope's, champagne, and hot chocolate vodkas.
The event, as my photo's also illustrate, was ever-so-slightly blurry. Considering the wonderful array of cocktails my mother and I had just before the event.. ..

So my mother and I arrived; teetering over across the street from Peyote where we had what turned out to be 'pre-drinks'.
Despite our slightly giddiness: we managed to keep our cool.
Until my name wasn't on the guestlist [when it should have been] and I had to do step away.
Compose myself, and do little of what us PR's do best. ;)

A few seconds into round two; my booze-fuelled apparent charisma and charm, managed to get me and my mother into the event.
Emphasising, as well, for the third time: this was a classy event; which didn't help with the suitcase size noisy paper ZARA HOME bag we lugged into the event.
Teetering on it's own is a challenge. With a shopping bag the weight of a toddler leads into a little bit more of a kind of game of bumper cars with waiters, guests and such.

But alas: I shall let the [hopefully not too blurry] images do the talking!


Lovely designed backdrop and my number one +1





Some of the more extravagant designs displayed in the windows.





I loved the incorporation of the accompanying sketches into the event.



Mens shoes too!!




Got to pet baby Manolo!! "She likes to be carried" A c'est la vie for some pooches!!!

Some extraordinary designs. Remind you of Belle's rose in beauty in the beast anyone?




Strike a pose.



So glamourous- really!


Poor Mr. Blahnik had a cold and kept sneezing! Hence the scarf and gloves (See below) !!



Ginnie going by! Loved her outfit tonight!


Drool drool.





So light, elegant and summer-y!






Men, men, men, men, menly, men men.



Playlist for the evening.



Snuck up to fr-ow!


Basking in frow!!


Manolo's Niece introducing them!


Hello!


Ginnie: Do you have any other shoe designers you like? 
MB: ah yes, that little girl, Charlotte Olympia!


He was so sweet and quirky!



Ginnie: What's next for Manolo?
MB: More shoes.

Q&A at the end:
ME: Hi, uhm, I was just wondering considering your long career, 
you know [note: jesus, josephine of course he does] 
how do you keep your ideas fresh?

MB: Life, the world, ideas can come from anything, and everything. And there is no lack of that.

ME: um, uh, THANK YOU.

[See below for a clip of the talk, as well as a recording of the sounds of a frate train crashing]











*Warning cringworthy moment*

At this point, Manolo made his way through the crowd towards the store.
As he passed me, I put my hand on his shoulder and thanked him for answering my question and for his talk. 

However, for some reason; in french.

[Manolo is Spanish]

BUT ALAS; his elegance knows no boundries.

and ever so swiftly responded with a warm 'Merci beaucoup ma fille' and a shake of my hand.

Followed by a swift blush; either for my blunder or the vodka hot chocolate too many...


Mum literally brushing elbows with Manolo! 
(I generally do not believe in stopping celebrities for selfies so sorry-not-sorry!)


Just some extravagantly dressed guests at the event!



Rainbow colours!!


Manolo in his new store!



yes please.


Admiring his work! Or criticising it... an artist would never tell!


See: this is an okay selfie. Un-invasive!


Various Cinderella Moments!





I had to film just to show you the pure sparkle!!!!


That's all folks!


But wait!! 


3 sweet little notepads as a keepsake. Merci!

Comments!