Manolo Blahník's name has become synonymous with beautifully crafted, highly desirable theatrical shoes that ooze originality, style and exuberance. For four decades his unique vision has held the fashion world spellbound. His design process begins with colour-rich sketches that are so finely executed they are as sought-after as the shoes themselves. Here you can peruse over 150 of these witty, seductive drawings.

The book is organized thematically to express Blahník's interests and passions - art history, architecture, film, including his renowned designs for Sofia Coppola's film Marie Antoinette, theatre and flora and fauna.

An introduction by Blahník himself is accompanied by contributions from some of the best-known names in fashion: Suzy Menkes, Fashion Editor of the International Herald Tribune; Grace Coddington, Creative Director at American Vogue; Carlos García Calvo, Fashion Editor of El Mundo; Milena Canonero, who won her third Oscar for her costume design for Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, and Amy Fine Collins, Special Correspondent to Vanity Fair. Each provides a valuable insight into the world of Manolo Blahník.

As André Leon Talley, the Editor at Large at American Vogue, has said of Manolo Blahník, 'He captures the most powerful of emotions: desire.'