Evening Shoe
1954 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Roger Vivier (1913-98) was a designer of luxury shoes, and is credited with creating the stiletto heel. He designed for several couturiers, including Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1930s, but notably for Christian Dior from 1953-63. He is the only one of Dior's collaborators permitted to have a credit on the final design - 'Christian Dior crée par Roger Vivier' - which is marked inside every shoe.
He often worked in elaborate and expensive materials including silks, pearls, beads, lace, metal threads and jewels.
This shoe was given to the V&A by Roger Vivier himself as a good example of his work.
He often worked in elaborate and expensive materials including silks, pearls, beads, lace, metal threads and jewels.
This shoe was given to the V&A by Roger Vivier himself as a good example of his work.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silk satin and tulle |
| Brief description | Silk satin evening pump, designed by Roger Vivier for Christian Dior, Paris, 1954 |
| Physical description | Black silk satin evening pump with a tulle rosette on the toe and high stiletto heel. Long squared-off pointed toe. |
| Style | |
| Production type | Haute couture |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Christian / Dior / crée par / ROGER VIVIER' (Embossed inside shoe lining) |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by the designer |
| Object history | Part of the Cecil Beaton collection, no catalogue number but mentioned on the Addenda |
| Production | Attribution note: Possibly a one-off made as a designer sample or model shoe |
| Association | |
| Summary | Roger Vivier (1913-98) was a designer of luxury shoes, and is credited with creating the stiletto heel. He designed for several couturiers, including Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1930s, but notably for Christian Dior from 1953-63. He is the only one of Dior's collaborators permitted to have a credit on the final design - 'Christian Dior crée par Roger Vivier' - which is marked inside every shoe. He often worked in elaborate and expensive materials including silks, pearls, beads, lace, metal threads and jewels. This shoe was given to the V&A by Roger Vivier himself as a good example of his work. |
| Bibliographic reference | Wilcox, C., ed., The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57 (V&A Publications, 2007), pl.2.14
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.148-1974 |
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| Record created | August 3, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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