Manolo Blahnik Talks Designing Margot Robbie’s Barbie-licious Heels

For the past month, Margot Robbie has been bringing some Barbie-licious outfits to the red carpet while promoting her new film, Barbie, alongside costar Ryan Gosling and director Greta Gerwig. Along the way, the actor and her stylist, Andrew Mukamal, have been paying thoughtful tributes to the Mattel icon, pulling specific references from the doll’s wardrobe. Just recently, she embodied the Day to Night Barbie from the 1980s in two pink Versace looks. While Robbie’s nods to Barbie have ranged from eveningwear to swimwear, there’s been one constant throughout her press tour: her heels! They were all custom-designed for her by the legendary shoe designer Manolo Blahnik.

Given stilettos are a staple in Barbie’s wardrobe—she has permanently arched feet, after all—Blahnik was a natural fit. “My shoes are elegant and fun but are also incredibly comfortable and ideal for red-carpet moments,” Blahnik tells Vogue. “Barbie is truly iconic, so when asked to provide shoes for the wonderful Margot Robbie—whom I adore—I wanted to update some of my most successful designs that have been in my collections for decades—with a Barbie twist, of course.”

Blahnik updated his signature BB pumps and Jada mule sandals in shades of pink, made custom to Robbie’s size but with slightly higher heels. “Pink is one of my absolute favorite colors—from cerise to powder pink,” says Blahnik. “It has been a joy to reimagine these styles in a host of pink hues.” The designer adds that he was intrigued by the idea of creating with a character in mind. “A Barbie shoe is fun, colorful, and confident,” he says. “The shoes must represent the personality of the character, and I wanted to encapsulate this in the styles I designed.”

At a photo call in LA, Robbie wore Blahnik’s pink Jada mules with a pink bra top and miniskirt by Bottega Veneta (accessorized with a pink convertible, of course!). Robbie also wore clear PVC mules by Blahnik with a pink Versace chain-mail dress to the premiere in Australia.

While Barbiecore will certainly be everywhere in the big lead-up to its premiere on July 21, Blahnik says the doll’s style—and heels!—is forever. “Barbie has always remained modern and has developed over the decades to speak to each new generation,” says Blahnik. “That’s what it takes to be iconic—relevance and adapting with the times!” The same could be said for his own shoes.

Below, more of Robbie’s best Manolos.