After European stops in Milan, St.Petersburg, Prague and Madrid, legendary Spanish shoe designer, Manolo Blahnik, chose Toronto as the last stop for his exhibit of 200 priceless (and gorgeous) shoes.

Credit Manolo Blahnik

The Bata Shoe Museum will be showing Manolo Blahnik: The Art Of Shoes from May 16th-January 9th, making it a must see for all fashion lovers. The collection includes 200 of Manolo’s favourite shoes, including designs he drafted for Sophia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette.

Credit Manolo Blahnik

Maholo himself stated that it was a great honour for him to be in the ‘temple of beauty’ that is the Bata Shoe Museum. Manolo thinks the Bata has the most beauteous shoes he’s ever seen “anywhere in the world. Such a collection of native and European designs doesn’t exist actually. I’ve been to many museums and [The Bata Shoe Museum] is incomparable.”

Manolo’s work has been celebrated internationally, from the runways of Paris Fashion Week to a household name thanks to Sex And The City’s infamous Carrie Bradshaw. Though wildly successful, Manolo doesn’t consider himself a star. Though countless celebrities have closets full of his designs, Manolo’s fame does not effect him as a man or designer. Mrs. Bata’s daughter and vice-chair of the Bata Shoe Museum, Christine Schmidt marvelled at how throughout the exhibit Mr. Blahnik was able to recall a story behind each shoe, as if he were recounting memories of fond times with old friends.

Manolo’s humility and artistry resonates throughout the exhibit, with demure text describing collections and sketches, as well as videos of the artist recounting design and process. Tickets to the exhibit are available for purchase as of today May 16th for $14 either in the museum or online at the Bata Shoe Museum’s website.