Thanksgiving is upon us.  And, as the house slowly fills with the unmistakable and homey aromas of sage and rosemary roast turkey, I wanted to stop for a moment to reflect on the contribution made by Roger Vivier that is most commonly referred to as the Pilgrim Pump.

Yes, this is the unavoidable Thanksgiving post. So, let’s chat about the Pilgrim Shoe.

Not This Shoe:

But This Shoe:

So, here’s to Roger Vivier. While well-known for his revival* of the stiletto n the 1950’s - particularly during Hollywood’s ‘Golden Years’  (Think Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), Mr. Vivier is also well-remembered for the classic buckled-vamp ‘Pilgrim Shoe’.

Originally introduced in the 1960’s to compliment then-current Mod fashions, and made famous by Catherine Deneuve in Belle de Jour, the style was instantly recognizable and became  as iconically associated with the Vivier name as the stiletto.

A classic and much imitated shoe, the Vivier Pilgrim shoe (La Belle Vivier) was re-introduced in 2004 under Bruno Frisoni to a whole new generation of fans.  More recently, the iconic buckle has been featured on handbags  offered by the House of Vivier.

So, here’s the eye-candy:

Personally, I love the black pump with the contrasting red buckle. The hint of color-blocking adds just the right amount of sass to an otherwise conservative style.

Of course, those of you who love to celebrity-watch may recognize the strappy buckles sandals; Shoebunny has all the details on just which celebrity wore these here.

The ‘eye-candy’ styles shown are all currently available at  the styledrops.com Roger Vivier Corner; Prices range from $739 to $989 for pictured styles. 

For those interested in more historical information on Vivier, several additional articles and references are available. 

*Credit to graymnce for editorial correction on the stiletto article.

8 Comments »

Roger Vivier’s shoes have been a regular feature on this blog. Really, how could we not blog about Roger Vivier, the Fragonard of the shoe, when the designer is credited for inventing the stiletto heel, comma heel, and pilgram buckle.

Today, I present to you this Roger Vivier for Dior pump, circa 1954. It’s one of the first designs of a thin metal stake we now call the stiletto and is every bit as lovely as it was fifty odd years ago.

And if you have a ton of free time on your hands, and I do emphasize a ton, I highly encourage you to peruse the Costume Institute’s meticulously cataloged online collection, which is where I found this photo. It would take hours just to review the buckles and Chanel pieces on the site.

7 Comments »

-The low down on Suri Cruise’s custom-made Roger Vivier buckle. What a lucky girl. [Shoewawa]

-Confess your love affair of the sole on Marshall’s shoe contest. You could win a $1,000 shoe shopping spree or better yet help Anna win the shoe shopping spree. [Shoe Smitten]

-It’s that time of the year again. The annual FFANY Shoes on Sale® to raise funds for breast cancer research is happening on Wednesday, October 15 from 7– 10 p.m. ET. Here’s a wonderful chance to shop designer shoes (there will be a 100,000 pairs of designer shoes at half the suggested retail price) for great savings or a noble cause. [FFANY Shoes on Sale]

No Comments Yet »

People Magazine gives us the scoop on these glittery heels Cate Blanchett donned at Australia’s Helpmann Awards: they are “a pair of limited edition Roger Vivier Limelight America platform heels with sequined star detail and Swarovski crystal buckles.” Wait, that’s not the best part: They cost $11,000! Eleven. Thousand. Dollars.

I’m sure they were a gift (really, what self-respecting celebrity would fork that kind of cash for shoes, no matter how fab?). At any rate, it appears Cate also wore them to the premier of her Bob Dylan movie “I’m not here”–so at least she got some mileage out of them!

6 Comments »

We’ve gone on at you about Roger Vivier before.

And we’ve shared (including very recently) plenty of fantasy lust-object pairs of shoes.

Well, here’s one that fits both bills.

Oo la la!!

It’s a one-of-a-kind sandal in crocodile and feathers with gold leaf and Swarovski crystals, and ain’t it a beaut?

Plus, this would be killer for your debut at the Folies Bergère or the Moulin Rouge.

3 Comments »