It’s a special first for Manolo Blahnik… 

The 72-year-old Spanish designer and founder of the self-named, high-end shoe brand will receive a “career-crowning” Couture Council of Artistry and Fashion Award from the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

Blahnik is the first footwear designer to receive the prestigious international award for lifetime achievement.

Blahnik, who celebrated his namesake label’s 40th anniversary in 2012, became a late-career household name, thanks, in part, to Sex and the City, which name-dropped him reverently.

It’s one of the few international honors in fashion, decided by a committee of editors, retailers and journalists. In years past, it has been received by Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino, Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera.