Manolo Blanhink is back home,in Manhattan, but this on Madison Ave. in a marvellous (spelled with two l's the way Diana Vreeland spelled the word) store, which includes a full department devoted to men's shoes. His female clients will have the pleasure of shopping in a space that is beyond the next level: unabashed luxury, (including full time bar and service), and the genius of Blahnik's creative exuberance in everything from flats to the highest heels possible. The new store located at 717 Madison Avenue has the old world quiet elegance of a couture salon, decorated with mid-century opaque chandeliers, and beautifully hand applied vertical stripes of greige and fawn. It is the largest Blahnik shoe store in the world. The opening this week in New York was a virtual blast of Blahnik's two favorite New York personalities: designer Issac Mizrahi, and singer and actor and comedienne Sandra Berhnard. They performed at the famous Carlyle Hotel, in a cabaret with full orchestra. It was by virtual invitation; Manolo spoke briefly from London, the hostess was his neice Christina, also in London. Here: Blahnik and I in our bespoke suits and bespoke shoes photographed by Lord Snowdon, husband of Princess Margaret, sister to Queen Elizabeth II, who was a friend of ours. Manolo is one of the great lights , spreading his energy throughout the universe, not only in shoes, but style, knowledge, taste, culture, the arts. He could have been a great interior decorator,a great actor, anything. Dog lovers , you will adore him for this, he has 15 dogs in his native Santa Cruz de la Palma, the Canary Islands where he was born. #ManoloBlahnik#Vogue.com#CFDA#The ChiffonTrenches (now available in paperback)