The fashion and entertainment industry kicked off fashion week by honoring Manolo Blahnik at the 2015 Couture Council Awards Luncheon on Wednesday afternoon at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater. The designer was presented with the award for Artistry of Fashion for his longstanding dedication to craftsmanship and innovative design.
Carolina Herrera, Uma Thurman, Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin, Camila Alves and Petra Nemcova came out to show support.
For Alves, “class, sophistication and quality” are the first things that come to mind when thinking of Blahnik and his designs.
Barney’s Simon Doonan told FN, “Manolo really celebrates beauty. I adore him. He’s so much fun. Not only is he a brilliant craftsman he’s just tour de force of glamour and hilarious anecdotes. He’s very warm and communicative. I love when we do events with him and he signs shoes and you see Manolo surrounded by women. He puts so much love and craft in those shoes. He’s an artist.”
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Julie Macklowe, member of the Couture Council, described Blahnik as elegant, timeless and the “best of the best.”
“I feel like the name he’s had in footwear for so long has proved he can stand the test of time. I feel like whether they are my new pair or old pair it doesn’t matter. His shoes are classic and timeless,” she said. “That’s why he’s iconic and here today as our honorary.”
Alec Baldwin walked the red carpet with his wife Hilaria, saying, “My relationship with Manolo is that I buy his products. I buy them and I buy them and I keep on buying them. They’re gifts for my wife.”
This annual award luncheon benefits the Museum at FIT. Past recipients of the Couture Council Award include Carolina Herrera, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, Karl Lagerfeld, Dries Van Noten, Isabel Toledo, Alber Elbaz and Ralph Rucci.
Click through the gallery to see photos from the event.
