Roger Vivier Belle Vivier: The 1965 Buckle Pump and Every Shape Coveti Stocks

The Roger Vivier Belle Vivier is the square-buckled pump that debuted at Yves Saint Laurent’s 1965 show and became famous when Catherine Deneuve wore it in Belle de Jour in 1967. Today the Roger Vivier house puts that buckle on pumps, slingbacks, ballerinas, Mary Janes, boots, bags and belts, and Coveti stocks 37 Belle Vivier pieces this season, with heels from 2.5 cm to 7.5 cm and the classic pumps at USD 1,520. For the designer behind it, start with who is Roger Vivier.

What is the Roger Vivier Belle Vivier?

The Belle Vivier is a low-heeled pump with a large square buckle across the vamp. It first appeared at Yves Saint Laurent’s 1965 show, and the original buckle was chrome-plated. The shape is simple. What makes it recognisable is the proportion between the wide, flat buckle and the short heel underneath it: the buckle does all the talking, so the rest of the shoe stays quiet.

That restraint is why the pump has lasted. It looked modern next to Sixties tailoring, and it still sits well with a straight trouser, a knit dress and a coat in autumn and winter 2026/27.

Belle de Jour and the 1967 moment

Two years after the show, Catherine Deneuve wore Belle Vivier pumps in Belle de Jour, the 1967 film directed by Luis Bunuel. The film made the square buckle the signature of the house, and almost every Belle Vivier description in the Coveti catalogue still opens with that story. If you want the full background on Vivier, his training as a sculptor and his work for Dior, our Roger Vivier biography covers it.

How the buckle has changed

The buckle is no longer only chrome. This season the house makes it in five finishes, and the finish changes the mood of the shoe more than the colour does:

• Metal: bright, the finish that recalls the chrome-plated 1965 original.
• Lacquered: colour-matched, glossy, used on the multicolour suede slingbacks.
• Tortoiseshell-effect resin: warm brown, used on the brown suede pumps, ballerinas, Chelsea boots and belt.
• Covered: wrapped in the same material as the shoe, the quietest version.
• Mini crystal: a small jewelled buckle, on the velvet Mary Janes.

Every Belle Vivier shape Coveti stocks

Coveti carries 37 Belle Vivier pieces from the Autumn Winter 2026-2027 collection. Here is how they break down, shape by shape.

Belle Vivier Pumps

The pump is the original. There are four at Coveti, all on a 4.5 cm covered heel the house calls the Skyscraper, and all at USD 1,520. The Belle Vivier Pumps in brown suede pair goatskin suede with a tortoiseshell-effect resin buckle, a good first pair for autumn. The Belle Vivier Pumps in navy blue suede have a covered buckle and read almost like a dark neutral. There is also a brown patent version and a green patent pair for something less expected.

Belle Vivier Slingback Pumps

Eight slingbacks share the 4.5 cm heel and add an adjustable heel strap. Prices run from USD 1,570 to USD 2,010. The tri-colour Belle Vivier Slingback Pumps in burgundy, beige and black suede carry a lacquered buckle at USD 2,010. For evening, the Belle Vivier Slingback Pumps with sequins in black are made in micro sequin fabric at USD 1,570, and there is a silver sequin pair at the same price. A slingback with a low heel works well for a 2027 wedding where you will stand for hours; see our wedding guest shoes edit for more.

Belle Vivier Ballerinas and Slingback Ballerinas

The flats sit on a 2.5 cm heel. The Belle Vivier Ballerinas in brown goatskin suede are the most affordable Belle Vivier shoe at USD 1,410. Five slingback ballerinas follow at USD 1,520, including the Belle Vivier Slingback Ballerinas in black patent leather with a metal buckle, and an off white leather pair that would suit a civil ceremony. Our Roger Vivier flats guide compares them with the other ballerina lines.

Belle Vivier Mary Janes

The Belle Vivier Mary Janes in black velvet swap the big buckle for a mini crystal buckle, on a 2.5 cm heel. At USD 3,200 they are the most expensive Belle Vivier shoe in stock, and the one most clearly meant for evening.

Belle Vivier Wedge Mules and Wedge Booties

The wedge gives the buckle a different base. The Belle Vivier Wedge Mules in black leather are patent calfskin with a crocodile print and a covered buckle, on a 6 cm wedge, at USD 1,610. Three wedge booties share the 6 cm height at USD 2,250. The Belle Vivier Wedge Booties in beige suede have an inside zip and elastic side panels, while the black and off white leather pairs use a metal buckle.

Belle Vivier Chelsea Boots

The tallest Belle Vivier heel at Coveti belongs to the Belle Vivier Chelsea Boots in brown suede: 7.5 cm, covered, with a tortoiseshell-effect resin buckle, at USD 2,200. It is the most practical way to wear the buckle through winter.

Belle Vivier bags and belts

Eleven bags carry the buckle. Five clutches range from USD 2,490 for burgundy suede to USD 6,140 for black velvet; the Belle Vivier Clutch in black leather has a covered buckle, a magnetic closure, a chain strap and a hand strap at USD 2,960. Four hobo bags run from USD 2,800 to USD 3,280, and there is a mini shopping bag and the Vanity mini bag at USD 2,960 each. Two belts complete the line: the Belle Vivier Belt in burgundy suede at USD 880 and a green leather belt at USD 820. More in our Roger Vivier bags guide.

Belle Vivier heel heights at a glance

All heights below come from the house’s own measurements, in cm.

Which Belle Vivier should you buy first?

Start with how you will wear it. If you want one pair for the office, a 4.5 cm pump in suede is the classic answer. If you walk a lot, the 2.5 cm ballerinas give you the buckle at almost flat height. If you live somewhere cold, the Chelsea boot is the version you will reach for most between now and March. Those wanting a heel with more height and a different signature should look at the Choc and Trompette lines instead, covered in our Roger Vivier heels guide.

Sizing

Roger Vivier sizes shoes on the Italian scale, which is the same as EU. Coveti lists whole EU sizes from 35 to 42; EU 38 is UK 5 and US 8. Most women take their usual EU size, and the Roger Vivier size guide has the full table. Every piece is authenticated by Coveti and ships worldwide, insured.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the Roger Vivier Belle Vivier created?

The Belle Vivier pump debuted at Yves Saint Laurent’s 1965 show. Its large chrome-plated square buckle became the house signature after Catherine Deneuve wore the pump in Belle de Jour in 1967.

What heel height is the Belle Vivier pump?

The Belle Vivier Pumps and Slingback Pumps at Coveti have a 4.5 cm covered heel. The ballerinas and Mary Janes sit at 2.5 cm, the wedge styles at 6 cm and the Chelsea boot at 7.5 cm.

How much is a Belle Vivier pump?

The Belle Vivier Pumps are USD 1,520 at Coveti. Slingback versions run from USD 1,570 to USD 2,010, and the Belle Vivier Ballerinas are USD 1,410.

What film made the Belle Vivier famous?

Catherine Deneuve wore the Belle Vivier in Belle de Jour, the 1967 film directed by Luis Bunuel. The film made the square buckle the signature of the house.

Are there Belle Vivier bags?

Yes. Coveti stocks 11 Belle Vivier bags this season: five clutches, four hobo bags, a mini shopping bag and the Vanity mini bag. Prices run from USD 2,490 to USD 6,140.

Do Belle Vivier shoes run true to size?

Roger Vivier sizes on the Italian scale, which matches EU sizing, and most women take their usual EU size. Coveti lists whole sizes from EU 35 to EU 42.