Vivier, Roger (1907-1998)

Dates

• Existence: 1907-1998

Biography

Roger Vivier was a French shoe designer.

Born in 1907, Roger Vivier, known as the Fabergé of footwear, created shoes that looked like works of art. In 1924, he began his sculpture studies at the Paris School of Fine Arts, which he abandoned two years later to learn the art of shoemaking and start an apprenticeship. Fascinated by the world of theatre and music halls, Vivier designed some stage decors. Backstage, he met Josephine Baker and Mistinguett, for whom he created custom-made shoes.

Following the success of his footwear creations, in 1937 he opened his first boutique on rue Royale in Paris. Heels were his field of excellence - he was the father to the Aiguille stiletto, launched in 1954, and the sinuous Virgule heel, considered the manifesto of his namesake label since 1963. He was a skillful artisan with a genuine passion for feminine elegance and a flair for elevating shoes to proper works of art, working hand in hand with celebrated French embroidery houses.

Vivier designed shoes for house Christian Dior from 1953 to 1963. In addition to the stiletto heel, he also experimented with other shapes, including the comma. He used silk, pearls, beads, lace, appliqué and jewels to create unique decorations for his shoes.

Roger Vivier is often remembered for dressing a list of exceptional women. Not only did he design the shoes Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II worn in 1953 on her coronation day, he also crafted acclaimed creations for the greatest personalities of his times: the Duchess of Windsor, Princess Soraya of Iran, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot and, of course, Catherine Deneuve in “Belle de Jour”, the film in which the iconic heels featuring the silver buckle made their first appearance.

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