LONDON — Manolo Blahnik is marking the 30th anniversary of its signature Mary Jane with a limited-edition, pearl-embellished style. And like most designs that come out of the brand’s workshop, there is more to it than meets the eye.
The Mary Jane, which comes in suede or silk satin, features a pearl button on the strap. It’s meant to symbolize rarity, purity, honesty, and wisdom. It also happens to be traditional 30th anniversary gift.
The original Mary Jane made its debut in 1994 and was inspired by a photograph of Kate Moss shot by Corinne Day. Designer Manolo Blahnik said he wanted to create a “classic and refined” style based on the photo.
“I had gone through a bit of a Baroque period in the early 1990s and wanted to counter that, so I went minimalist,” said the designer.
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“It started with the idea of a standard Mary Jane, but then I made it sexy, with a pointed toe, high heel – and in black patent with a grosgrain trim.”
The shoe became a hit after Moss wore it in the pages of British Vogue.
The image, shot by Juergen Teller, continues to inspire Blahnik and the style has since been spotted on Hollywood women including Halle Berry, Emerald Fennell and Laura Dern.
The pearl Mary Jane style comes in ivory and black and is available exclusively online and at the Manolo Blahnik boutiques in London, New York, Paris, Hong Kong, and China.
In addition to marking the Mary Jane anniversary, Manolo Blahnik has also created a new collectors’ edition called A Splendid Blahnik, which features the designer’s favorite designs.
The styles will be exclusive to Manolo Blahnik retail and e-commerce stores. Each one comes with an embroidered dust bag and a limited-edition sketch.
For Winter 2024 the style is known as the Trebeda, and is inspired by the traje de luces, or suit of lights, worn by matadors in Blahnik’s native Spain.
The suit got its name from the reflective gold and silver embroidery and extravagant light-catching beading, and the Trebada shoe is similarly embellished. It features beaded fringes, scalloped detailing and textural raffia, recalling the drama of the Spanish ensembles.
