Kristina Blahnik

CEO Manolo Blahnik

For over a decade, Kristina Blahnik has led Manolo Blahnik with a rare balance of creative vision and strategic acumen, ensuring the brand’s enduring global success while preserving its artisanal heritage. As CEO, she champions the principle “to optimise, not maximise,” guiding the company toward responsible, long-term growth. Under her leadership, Manolo Blahnik has expanded from two to twenty boutiques worldwide, with major growth in the Middle East, Asia, and North America. In 2024, she oversaw the brand’s launch in mainland China with a flagship in Shanghai and a new Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise, alongside a Hong Kong joint venture that opened three additional stores...marking a defining moment in the brand’s expansion across Asia.

A trained architect, Kristina brings a refined design sensibility to her leadership. She first contributed to the brand’s creative journey through the 2003 Design Museum exhibition and continues to collaborate closely with her uncle, Manolo Blahnik, on every collection. Her proudest initiative, the Manolo Blahnik Archives launched in 2021, celebrates the brand’s 50-year legacy through an award-winning digital storytelling platform with over one million visitors.

Kristina has also driven acclaimed collaborations, including partnerships with Rihanna, Vetements, and Birkenstock, which expanded the brand’s cultural relevance and audience. A strong advocate for social responsibility, she founded the Manolo Blahnik Foundation in 2022 to champion mental health, animal welfare, and creative education. Under her guidance, the company earned Great Place to Work certification and grew to over 250 employees, all while preserving its core values of creativity, craftsmanship, and family.