Who Is Roger Vivier? The Paris Shoemaker Behind the Belle Vivier and the Modern Stiletto

Roger Vivier (1907 to 1998) was a Paris shoemaker, trained as a sculptor, who opened his own house in 1937, designed shoes for Christian Dior from 1953 to 1963 and in 1954 created what is now thought of as the modern stiletto heel. The Roger Vivier house that carries his name is best known for the square-buckled Belle Vivier, first shown in 1965, and Coveti stocks 157 pieces from its Autumn Winter 2026-2027 collection, from designer shoes to bags and hair pieces. For the story of that buckle alone, read our guide to the Roger Vivier Belle Vivier.

Who was Roger Vivier, the man?

Roger Henri Vivier was a French shoe designer, born on 13 November 1907. He was orphaned young and went on to study sculpture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. That training matters more than it first seems. Vivier thought about a shoe as a small piece of architecture: a structure that has to carry weight on a very narrow point while still looking light. Much of what the house makes today still follows from that way of thinking.

He opened his own house in Paris in 1937. From the late 1930s until 1962 he also designed for Delman, the American shoe maker, which put his work in front of buyers on both sides of the Atlantic long before the Dior years.

The Dior years, 1953 to 1963

From 1953 to 1963 Vivier designed shoes under contract for Christian Dior. It was an unusual arrangement for the time, because his name appeared next to the couture label. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London holds a 1954 black silk satin evening pump with a tulle rosette and a high stiletto heel from this period, lined with the words “Christian Dior cree par Roger Vivier”. Vivier gave it to the museum himself.

In 1953 he also designed the shoes Queen Elizabeth II wore for her coronation, a commission that tells you how high his standing was by then.

The stiletto and the comma

Two heel shapes carry his name in fashion history. In 1954 he created what is now thought of as the modern stiletto heel, built around a thin steel rod so that a very slim heel could take a woman’s full weight. Thin heels had existed in the late 19th century, so the honest way to put it is that he made the modern version workable. We go into that question in detail in who invented the stiletto heel.

Then in 1959 he invented the virgule, a heel that curves inward like a comma. It is a sculptor’s idea, a heel that seems to bend under the shoe and still holds its line. In 1970 he stopped made-to-order couture work to focus on ready-made lines. He died on 2 October 1998.

What is the Roger Vivier house today?

The house is owned by Diego Della Valle’s Tod’s Group. Its historic boutique sits on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore in Paris and was designed after Vivier’s own apartment, so walking in feels closer to visiting a collector’s home than a shop. A jewellery line followed in 2019.

Creative directors since Vivier

Bruno Frisoni was creative director from 2002 to 2018. Gherardo Felloni took over in 2018. Before Roger Vivier he designed footwear at Fendi and Helmut Lang, and he joined Miu Miu in 2003. Under Felloni the archive has been worked hard: the Belle Vivier buckle now sits on sneakers, the Choc curve on ankle boots, and garden motifs (a theme dear to both Vivier and Felloni) on satin pumps and bags.

The 1965 Belle Vivier and Belle de Jour

The Belle Vivier pump, with its large chrome-plated square buckle, debuted at Yves Saint Laurent’s 1965 show. Two years later Catherine Deneuve wore it in Belle de Jour, the 1967 film directed by Luis Bunuel, and the square buckle became the house signature. The same 1965 season gave the house the Pilgrim pump, made with silver buckles for the Yves Saint Laurent Mondrian collection.

Which buckles and heels define Roger Vivier?

If you learn to read the buckles, you can place almost any Roger Vivier piece at a glance. The table below covers the ones Coveti carries this season, with the house’s own description and a stocked example.

Buckles worth knowing

The Belle Vivier buckle comes in more finishes than most people expect. The Belle Vivier Pumps in brown suede carry a tortoiseshell-effect resin buckle over a 4.5 cm covered heel, while the Belle Vivier Slingback Ballerinas in black patent leather use a metal buckle on a 2.5 cm heel. The Pilgrim Bag in burgundy leather shows the baguette crystal setting, done by hand. Small and easy to wear, the Tres Vivier Earrings in gold carry the square crystal buckle onto jewellery, at the lowest price point in the collection.

Heels worth knowing

The Choc heel is cut on a curve. The house calls it “an emblem of seduction since 1959”, and on the Choc Pumps in black leather it stands 10 cm high with a lacquered finish. The Trompette flares slightly at the base; the Trompette Pumps in pink leather pair it with a metal buckle at 10 cm. For evening, the Efflorescence Pumps in grey satin carry the crystal flower buckle on a 10 cm heel. Our Roger Vivier heels guide covers every height in stock.

What does Coveti stock from Roger Vivier?

Coveti carries 157 Roger Vivier pieces, all from the Autumn Winter 2026-2027 collection. That breaks down into 106 pairs of shoes, 29 bags, 4 bag charms, 4 belts, 6 hats, 6 hair pieces, 1 pair of earrings and 1 waistcoat. Every one of the 157 is marked made in Italy. Prices run from USD 720 to USD 11,690, and shoes start at USD 1,250.

Shoes

Shoes are the core of the edit. There are kitten heels, pumps, slingbacks, ballerinas, Mary Janes, mules, sandals, loafers, sneakers, ankle boots and knee-high boots. For daily wear, the Belle Vivier Ballerinas in brown sit on a 2.5 cm heel at USD 1,410. At the other end, the Choc Cuissard Boots in black and gold velvet, worked with beads, crystals and sequins, are the most expensive piece in the collection at USD 11,690. Coveti lists shoes in whole EU sizes 35 to 42; most women take their usual EU size, and our Roger Vivier size guide has the full conversion.

Bags and accessories

The bags lean on the same buckles. The Belle Vivier Clutch in black leather has a covered buckle, a chain strap and a hand strap at USD 2,960. Accessories bring the house in at a lower price: the Belle Vivier Belt in burgundy suede is USD 880, and bag charms start at USD 720.

How to start with Roger Vivier

Most first purchases are a Belle Vivier in a low heel, because that is the shape people recognise. A 4.5 cm pump in suede will go with tailoring in autumn and winter 2026/27 and with dresses into spring. If you already own a classic pump from another house, a Choc heel gives you something with a different line. For the 2027 wedding season, the Efflorescence and Rose Vivier satin styles are the obvious place to look, and our designer bridal shoes edit puts them next to other houses.

Every piece Coveti sells is authenticated by Coveti and ships worldwide, insured.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Roger Vivier?

Roger Vivier was a French shoe designer, born in 1907 and died in 1998, who studied sculpture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He opened his own house in Paris in 1937 and designed shoes for Christian Dior from 1953 to 1963. In 1954 he created what is now thought of as the modern stiletto heel.

Who owns Roger Vivier now?

Roger Vivier is owned by Diego Della Valle’s Tod’s Group. Gherardo Felloni has been creative director since 2018, after Bruno Frisoni held the role from 2002 to 2018.

What is Roger Vivier famous for?

The house is famous for the Belle Vivier pump and its large square buckle, which debuted at Yves Saint Laurent’s 1965 show. Catherine Deneuve wore it in the 1967 film Belle de Jour. Vivier himself is also known for the modern stiletto heel of 1954 and the comma-shaped virgule heel of 1959.

Did Roger Vivier design the coronation shoes of Queen Elizabeth II?

Yes. Roger Vivier designed the shoes Queen Elizabeth II wore for her coronation in 1953.

Where are Roger Vivier shoes made?

Almost all Roger Vivier pieces are made in Italy. All 157 Roger Vivier pieces stocked at Coveti are marked made in Italy.

How much do Roger Vivier shoes cost at Coveti?

Roger Vivier shoes at Coveti range from USD 1,250 to USD 11,690. The median shoe price is close to USD 2,000, and the classic Belle Vivier Pumps are USD 1,520.