DVD Review: Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes For Lizards

I know very little about fashion, and care even less, and yet I was absolutely delighted with the documentary Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes For Lizards. There is something playful about this film right from the beginning – something playful about its subject, something playful about its approach – that got me on board immediately. The film’s subject is Manolo Blahnik, one of the world’s most famous shoe designers, someone who comes across as absolutely endearing, as well as interesting and unusual. At the beginning, he says, “The truth is I used to make shoes for lizards.” He is speaking of his childhood, then tells us he didn’t think about shoes again until much later.

Manolo, through a series of interviews, is allowed to tell his own story and to present himself as honestly as anyone can. Through him we get biographical information on his childhood and so on. (There are also some recreations of his childhood, but those feel unnecessary.) He was sent to school in Geneva at the age of 14. His parents wanted him to work at the United Nations. “I didn’t like it,” Manolo says. “I was bored to tears.” And just the way he says this had me laughing aloud. Even though I am generally disinterested in footwear, because of his character Manolo could have made me interested in any subject.

The film tells his story chronologically. There is some material on the demonstrations in Paris in 1968, which Manolo saw as entertainment. “I didn’t have any – I still don’t – any political belief. I never liked violence or marches. I can’t stand crowds.” He moved to London in 1971, an interesting time in general, not just in the fashion world. He tells a funny story about his first showing, which he considers a disaster. And there is material on his first shop, and about the start of his New York store in the 1980s. He has also worked in film, designing shoes for Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette.

In addition to the interviews with Manolo, this film includes interviews with other designers, models, fashion journalists and magazine editors. One of my favorite interviews, however, is with Rupert Everett, who talks about going to Manolo’s shop and buying a pair of shoes. He offers this observation: “His men’s shoes, well, they’re just kind of slightly more feminine versions of the women’s shoes.”

And yes, there are plenty of images of shoes, some of which are incredible. They are works of art, truly. I particularly like the images of his shoes among flowers, looking strangely like a natural part of the garden, showing us some of his inspiration. These are striking images. And he does talk of his interest in gardens, though – as those images show – it seems that everything in his life is somehow related to his shoe designs. And Manolo actually goes to his factory, creating the sample shoes himself, which is interesting. Doing that is something he loves. And his passion gets us interested in the subject. I had never really looked at shoes with anything approaching pleasure, but this documentary gave me a new appreciation for the aesthetic value of certain shoes (though I was also pleased to hear from several of the women interviewed that comfort was equally important in Manolo’s designs). There is maybe a bit too much footage of him signing books, but this documentary is thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable, as well as informative.

Special Features

The DVD includes a five-minute promotional piece about the designer and the film, which includes short snippets from the documentary. There are also two photo galleries, highlighting Manolo’s shoe designs. The film’s trailer is also included.

Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes For Lizards was written and directed by Michael Roberts, and was released on DVD on December 12, 2017 through Music Box Films.