Blahnik opens first Irish boutique

Every girl's fairytale came true today when the Prince Charming of the shoe world, Manolo Blahnik, unveiled his first Irish boutique.

The internationally-acclaimed footwear designer was in Dublin to launch his latest collection at the exclusive Brown Thomas store.

And Blahnik, whose creations are coveted the world over, also gave some much-needed relief to recession-fatigued women by giving them the sartorial thumbs-up.

"I've seen women on the street here," said Blahnik.

"Firstly they are really gorgeous and you don't have to be a star to realise who you are.

"They've got an elegance."

While the credit crunch hasn't made a massive dent in his sales just yet, Mr Blahnik is aware that the financial pinch might extend to his devotees' feet.

"I think it's quite possible, that eventually we will suffer like everybody else," he said.

"But, hopefully, it will be a quick passage.

"Maybe, instead of buying five pairs or six pairs they’ll buy one pair, one crocodile pair with a zip for day time, night time, wear them all day.

"Buy one pair to invest and then take care of them."

With responsibility for the design and prototype of every single shoe bearing his name, it is little wonder that the Spanish designer was casting a critical eye over his newest outlet on Grafton Street.

"I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, but there are a few things that are not right just yet, like the glass is not finished," he said.

Perhaps it was a sign of the times that price tags were ominously missing from the small collection of classic courts, satin bejewelled stilettos and Victorian-style lace-up boots in the small shoe room.

At €400, the prices will undoubtedly be out of the reach of most ladies tightening their belts – but at least every Cinderella can dream.