In a way, Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw was the blogger of her time, with her confessional writing, heaving closet, and penchant for styling its contents in very Man Repeller ways.
So, it seems right that the shoe for which she was most famous, the Manolo Blahnik Hangisi pump, is having a very real comeback among the personal style influencers of the world. Not only that, but reimagined versions of its satin court style and crystal-encrusted buckle are appearing all over stores.
In part, you have Balenciaga to thank.
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Its bejewelled satin stiletto of AW16 was like the Hangisi's hyper-maximalist younger sister, its crystals clumped together like ritzy barnacles — all glamour, all glitter, all the makings of a shoe of the season. And it was.
It also helped create a thirst for the style.
Jump forward a year later and we now have a full-on revival with updated takes on the idea from Gucci, Roger Vivier, Miu Miu (long an advocate of the crystal-encrusted shoe) and the originator, Mr. Blahnik himself.
And it's fueling what has become a social media moment, with members of the street style set such as Leandra Medine, Camille Charriere, Julia Sarr Jamois, Lisa Folawiyo, Pernille Teisbaek and Barbara Martelo wearing them in various #OOTDs.
It's been a very long time since I've considered wearing a glitzy heel for day, and yet I now feel compelled to give the slippers, trainers and slides a rest in favor of something more decadent.
But unlike the days of Carrie it feels more modern to dress the glitter down with stiff denim, slouchy trousers or track pants rather than going like-for-like with a skirt or dress.
The attitude is also different: less Cinderella waiting for Mr. Big to give the big diamond, and more so Rihanna (a well-known Manolo Blahnik fan and collaborator) shining bright like a diamond, her oversized pockets devoid of all f*cks.
Kenya Hunt is the Editor-in-Chief of ELLE UK. Her career spans working for some of the world's most influential women’s titles on both sides of the Atlantic from her post-graduate days as an Assistant Editor at the seminal magazine, Jane, to her time as Deputy Editor of Grazia UK and ELLE UK. As the founder of R.O.O.M. Mentoring, she advocates for greater diversity within the fashion industry by providing a supportive network for some of the many talented aspiring designers, journalists and image makers of colour London has to offer. In 2021, she was recognised by The British Fashion Council for her work and given a Global Leader Of Change Award at its annual Fashion Awards. An American based in London, she lives south of the river with her husband and two sons. Her critically-acclaimed book, Girl: Essays on Black Womanhood (HarperCollins/HQ), is out now.
