Manolo Blahnik Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £300,250 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-based grant-making)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: UK-based with potential for wider impact

Contact Details

• Website: https://www.manoloblahnik.com/us/thefoundation/partnerships
• Email: foundation@manoloblahnik.com
• Phone: 020 7352 8622
• Address: 31 Old Burlington Street, London, W1S 3AS

Overview

The Manolo Blahnik Foundation launched in January 2022 as an independent charitable company, incorporated on 9 November 2021. The foundation receives 10% of the annual operating profits from Manolo Blahnik International Limited. In the 2024 financial year, the foundation had a total income of £849,922 (primarily from donations of £696,880 and investments of £153,042) and made charitable expenditure of £300,250. The foundation takes a “learning approach to philanthropy,” seeking to understand where it can make a meaningful difference and building partnerships aligned with three core pillars: mental health and wellbeing, the welfare of animals, and engaging and supporting new generations in the arts and creative industries.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation makes grants across three main pillars:

Mental Health & Wellbeing

• Grant to King's College London for qualitative research into moral injuries experienced by healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Support for the Mental Health Foundation to develop a Parents Lived Experience Champion Network (PLECN), providing a safe space for parents to connect and share experiences around mental health challenges
• Partnership with the Mental Health Foundation dating back to May 2019

Animal Welfare

• Support for Refuge4Pets, a charity enabling freedom from domestic abuse for victim-survivors across Devon and Cornwall by providing specialist fostering services for their animals
• Funding for core costs and feasibility studies for an animal sanctuary

Arts & Creative Industries

• Annual scholarship at London College of Fashion (University of the Arts London) worth up to £39,990 per year (£29,990 towards tuition fees for international students and £10,000 for living costs), supporting students on BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles: Print and BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear courses for the duration of their three-year studies
• Partnership with the National Saturday Club on 'Introduction to Communications' workshops for 13-16 year-olds from across the UK

Humanitarian Aid

• Partnership with the British Red Cross to help people recover from and build resilience to extreme weather events and support those experiencing personal health crises

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on:

• Mental health research and support, particularly for healthcare workers and parents
• Animal welfare, especially in connection with domestic abuse situations
• Educational opportunities in fashion and creative industries for young people
• Humanitarian crisis response

What They Don't Fund

Information about exclusions is not publicly available, but the foundation's charitable objects allow trustees “absolute discretion” to determine which charitable purposes to support, suggesting they select projects that align closely with their three core pillars.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees (all appointed 09 November 2021):

1. Manolo Blahnik Rodriguez - World-renowned shoe designer and founder of Manolo Blahnik Limited. His design philosophy of prioritizing heritage and creativity over trends and fashion influences the foundation's approach.

1. Evangelina Rosa Hulsebus - Sister of Manolo Blahnik and mother of Kristina Blahnik.

1. Eva Kristina Hulsebus (Kristina Blahnik) - CEO of Manolo Blahnik Limited since 2013. As a trustee, she brings both business acumen and a strong commitment to philanthropy. She has stated: “To optimise, not maximise” as her key business ethos, believing in making decisions driven by heritage and creativity rather than fashion and trends. Kristina has been an avid supporter of mental health initiatives since 2019, when she made a personal and professional commitment to The Mental Health Foundation. She remarked, “I feel privileged to have been given this opportunity. In many ways, it completes me, which is a strange thing to say, but it has given me a clear purpose in life.”

The foundation is structured as a charitable company limited by guarantee, with objects stated as “for the public benefit such charitable purposes as the trustees may in their absolute discretion determine.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation makes grants through selected partnerships and trustee discretion rather than an open application system. Organizations cannot submit unsolicited applications for funding.

The foundation takes a “learning approach to philanthropy” and carefully selects partners that align with their three core funding pillars. Grants appear to be awarded based on trustee decisions rather than through a competitive application process.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has established relationships with organizations in specific sectors:

• Mental health sector: The foundation has maintained a partnership with the Mental Health Foundation since May 2019, demonstrating long-term commitment to organizations they support
• Academic institutions: Their scholarship partnership with University of the Arts London's London College of Fashion represents a multi-year commitment
• Specialized charities: They support innovative organizations like Refuge4Pets that work at the intersection of their funding priorities (in this case, animal welfare and support for domestic abuse survivors)

The foundation appears to identify potential grantees through:

• Existing networks within the fashion and creative industries
• Academic partnerships, particularly in fashion education
• Established mental health and humanitarian organizations
• Niche charities addressing specific issues aligned with their pillars

Given the family nature of the foundation and the personal commitment Kristina Blahnik has made to mental health causes, organizations working in their priority areas might consider connecting through sector networks where the trustees are active.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not operate on fixed grant rounds or public application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

While there is no public application process, the foundation's approach provides insights into what they value:

Partnership-Based Approach: The foundation states it “seeks to understand where it can make a meaningful difference and continues to build on partnerships that are integral to the three main funding pillars.” This suggests they value:

• Long-term relationships (e.g., partnership with Mental Health Foundation since 2019)
• Organizations that align closely with one or more of their three core pillars
• Projects that demonstrate potential for “lasting and systemic impact”

Innovation and Specificity: Recent grantees include organizations addressing niche but important issues:

• Refuge4Pets works at the intersection of domestic abuse support and animal welfare
• King's College London research focuses specifically on moral injury in healthcare workers
• The Parents Lived Experience Champion Network creates peer support structures

Quality and Excellence: Given the foundation's connection to a luxury brand known for craftsmanship and excellence, they likely value:

• High-quality program delivery
• Professional approach and strong governance
• Clear outcomes and impact measurement

Education Focus: The substantial scholarship program (up to £39,990 per year) demonstrates significant commitment to supporting the next generation in creative industries, assessed on “financial need and academic potential.”

Strategic Alignment: CEO Kristina Blahnik's philosophy of “optimise, not maximise” suggests the foundation values:

• Strategic, thoughtful giving over volume of grants
• Heritage and creativity in their approach
• Decisions driven by values rather than trends

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process - This foundation awards grants through trustee discretion and selected partnerships, not open applications
• Multi-year commitment approach - The foundation builds long-term relationships with partner organizations (e.g., Mental Health Foundation since 2019, multi-year scholarship program)
• Three clear pillars - All funding aligns with mental health & wellbeing, animal welfare, or supporting new generations in the arts/creative industries
• Innovation valued - Recent grantees like Refuge4Pets demonstrate the foundation's interest in organizations addressing specific niches within their priority areas
• Substantial education investment - The London College of Fashion scholarship (up to £39,990/year) shows significant commitment to supporting emerging talent in fashion and creative fields
• Quality over quantity - With £300,250 in charitable expenditure in 2024, the foundation makes strategic grants aligned with their “optimise, not maximise” philosophy
• Family foundation with hands-on trustees - Led by Manolo Blahnik, his sister Evangelina, and his niece Kristina (CEO of the parent company), suggesting personal engagement in grant decisions

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Dashlight Foundation
• Veronica and Lars Bane Foundation CIO
• Hollick Family Foundation
• THE KENORA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• THE LIVEWELL FOUNDATION
• Denise Coates Foundation
• The John Booth Charitable Foundation
• The Moulding Foundation
• The Morgan Charitable Foundation
• The Tory Family Foundation

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: MANOLO BLAHNIK FOUNDATION (Charity Number 1197497). Accessed 8 December 2025. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5191647/
• Manolo Blahnik website - The Foundation Partnerships. Accessed 8 December 2025. https://www.manoloblahnik.com/us/thefoundation/partnerships
• Companies House: MANOLO BLAHNIK FOUNDATION (Company Number 13733159). Accessed 8 December 2025. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13733159
• University of the Arts London: Manolo Blahnik Scholarship. Accessed 8 December 2025. https://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/fees-and-funding/scholarships-search/manolo-blahnik-scholarships
• The Walpole: “The Walpole Power List | The Heroes: Kristina Blahnik, CEO, Manolo Blahnik.” Accessed 8 December 2025. https://www.thewalpole.co.uk/news/the-walpole-power-list-the-heroes-kristina-blahnik-ceo-manolo-blahnik
• WWD: "Manolo Blahnik Launches Scholarship at University of the Arts London's London College of Fashion," November 2024. Accessed 8 December 2025.
• Financial data from Charity Commission accounts for year ending 2024