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:

Colonial Shoes Adult (Men)

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.