The blue Manolo Blahnik Hangisi made an appearance in Vern Enciso’s wedding. Find out how much are the iconic stilettos from Sex and the City.
Related: And Just Like That…Sex And The City Revival Is Finally Confirmed
In Sex and The City the movie, Carrie Bradshaw was the 40 year old bride. In the 2008 film, we saw the sex columnist try out different wedding gowns for a magazine spread on Vogue. Despite turning heads in her Vivienne Westwood wedding dress, SATC fans focused on a different look in the movie. It was the vintage suit dress paired with the famous blue Manolo Blahnik Hangisi. As I watched on till the end of the movie, I couldn’t help but wonder: How much are Carrie Bradshaw’s wedding shoes?
13 years later, Sex and the City is up for a reboot and I still didn’t know the answer. And then I saw Vern Enciso’s wedding photos where she was wearing the Manolos! Now, I had to know: Where can you get Carrie’s wedding shoes and how much do they truly cost? I made it my personal mission to find out for all of us who still have a chance of donning the pair on our wedding day.
So, I called on a specialist. Love Luxe Bags founder and CEO, Aimee Hashim, is a close confidant and reliable source of information. Right before dinner, I asked her a few important questions.
MM: Is it really that hard to find Carrie Bradshaw’s Wedding Shoes?
A: There was a time when everyone wanted it. During SATC the movie, it was really hard to get. The thing is, it does go on sale. All in all, the blue Manolo Blahnik Hangisi is worth keeping.
MM: Do a lot of your clients ask you about the the Hangisi?
A: Most of the brides want Manolo Blahniks. They’re really comfortable, even the 105 mm. height. If they’re looking to buy stilettos, they would usually go for nudes, whites, blacks, and blues. On the other hand, if they want flats, some would opt for the color red. Never naman siya nawala sa uso. Although, more people are getting into collecting Manolos during the pandemic, because they re-watch shows and have more time to spend.
MM: If someone were to buy one right now, around how much would it cost?
A: They would go for around P40,000 to Ph50,000. They could even go for as high as Ph69,000 to P70,000, plus taxes and other expenses. But, if you see a pair on sale, Love Luxe tip: Buy them!
After chatting with Aimee, I could say that I learned a lot in a span of 15 minutes. However, I wanted to know more. For that reason, I went to the very reason I made this article: the bride herself, Vern Enciso.
MM: In our exclusive interview with you, you said that you found your wedding shoes serendipitously. Can you tell us the story behind that?
V: I first saw the shoe in the Sex and City movie and knew that one day it would be the pair I was going to wear.
I was in a Los Angeles outlet with my family about 4 or 5 years ago. We were browsing through Saks OFF 5TH when I saw that there was a rack with luxury brands on discount. Even from afar, I saw the Manolo Blahniks. I literally ran to it and prayed to the fashion gods that it was a size 40. I saw that it was and prayed some more that it would fit the $400 cash I had in my bag. I remember leaving my credit card in the safe of our hotel room, so I knew that I couldn’t walk out of the store with the pair with any more than that price. Lo and behold, I saw it was around P17,000—more than 50% off its original price!
I went to the counter and the sales staff even said, “Wow! That just came out of the stock room. Lucky girl!” I knew then and there that it was meant to be. I even thought my then boyfriend, Ben, now husband would propose that year ’cause I found my wedding shoes!
MM: Before owning them, were you on the hunt for the blue Manolo Blahnik Hangisi pumps or did it really just happen without intervention?
V: It was on my wish list, but it wasn’t really a priority. That’s because I knew they would be my wedding shoes. Back then, he hasn’t proposed yet but come on a 50k pair now at 17,000? Who could resist?
After a cheerful conversation with Vern, I gave my well wishes to the newly-weds and was extremely content. Now we know, SATC fans, wait for the sale. Hope to see you all at Saks OFF FIFTH once this pandemic is over. Happy shoe hunting, ladies!
