From 1971, Blahnik sold Manolo Blahnik shoes for Zapata. With a loan of £2,000, Blahnik bought the Zapata shoe company from its owner and opened his own boutique. In 1974, Blahnik became the second man ever to appear on the cover of British Vogue. In 1977, Blahnik created his first American collection. These were sold in 1978 through Bloomingdales. Blahnik opened his first boutique in the US in 1979. Manolo Blahnik's flagship store is still located on Old Church Street in the Chelsea district of London.
