Manolo Blahnik loves how shoes provide "instant transformation".

The Spanish designer - loved by celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker, Kylie Minogue and Victoria Beckham - believes footwear is an important part of an outfit, but does not consider himself an artist.

He said: "I love the shape of the foot. Shoes create instant transformation - in a second you walk differently."

Asked how he views himself, he added: "I'm a technician. I'm not an artist. I'm always an outsider in fashion. I like to be in the factor - it feels so peaceful, being out of the hullabaloo."

Discussing his inspiration, Blahnik confesses he gets ideas from "silly romantic things" he thinks up in his head.

He told vogue.com: "This is an Egyptian girl going to The Village - these are the things I like to think when I do shoes, make up these silly romantic things."

However he has not always had commercial sucks, claiming one collection he "loved" didn't sell at all.

He said: "There's a series of shoes I love very much but they didn't sell. It was always like that - the things that I adore - that are edgy - they didn't seem to perform."