Vivier has been
called the "Fragonard of the shoe" and his shoes "the
Fabergé of Footwear" by numbers of critics. He designed
extravagant richly-decorated shoes that he described as sculptures.
He is credited with the design of the first stiletto heel in 1954.
Stiletto heels, the very thin high heel, were certainly around in the
late 19th century as numerous fetish drawings attest, but Vivier is
known for reviving and developing this opulent style by using a thin
rod of steel.
Ava Gardner, Gloria
Guinness and The Beatles were all Vivier customers, and he designed
the shoes for Queen Elizabeth II for her coronation in 1953.
Vivier designed
shoes for 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.
In the 1960s Vivier
also designed silk-satin knee boots outlined in jewels, and
thigh-high evening boots in a black elastic knit with beads. His most
iconic design, the Pilgrim pumps with silver buckles (worn by
Catherine Deneuve in the film Belle de Jour) received international
publicity and many imitations.
Visitors flock to
his boutique on the Rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, whose design is
famous for being inspired by Vivier's apartment. The collection is
designed by Bruno Frisoni. Exclusivity is the hallmark of the line,
with many shoes made to order, some with hand-embroidered gold
thread. There are now three shops in the US. The latest opened in
Orange County, CA in May 2012.
Vivier's shoes are
on display at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Bata Shoe
Museum in Toronto and the Musée du Costume et de la Mode at the
Louvre.
The brand has been
owned by Diego Della Valle's company, Tod's, from 2003. As of
November 2015, Tod's owns 60.7% in the shoe brand.
No comments:
Post a Comment