Roger Vivier is bringing a more personal touch to New York.
The Parisian footwear house will introduce Atelier Vivier, its made-to-order service, to the U.S. at Saks Fifth Avenue from Oct. 19 through 31. Housed within the retailer’s Fifth Avenue Club, the experience will be available through private appointments.
“Our clients in the United States value individuality and a personal connection to the Maison,” said Marco Felci, chief executive officer of Tod’s Group Americas. “Bringing Roger Vivier’s made-to-order service to this market allows us to deepen that relationship, combining our savoir-faire and creativity with each client’s personal style to make an iconic Roger Vivier creation uniquely her own.”
Introduced earlier this year at Roger Vivier’s new flagship at 20 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, Atelier Vivier allows clients to customize the house’s signature shoes and handbags. At its Paris debut, the program encompassed 28 shoe styles and seven handbag styles, offering more than 1,000 possible combinations.
Starting with a silhouette and buckle, clients choose among materials including satin, leather, patent and suede, as well as colors and finishes. Vivier’s signature buckle can be rendered in gold or silver, with colored brass available on select styles. Initials or a lucky number can also be added to a shoe’s insole or a plaque inside a handbag.
The choices are housed in the Atelier Vivier MTO cabinet, a silver console containing the available materials and hardware, while a digital component allows clients to visualize combinations before production begins. In Paris, made-to-order pieces command a premium of up to 20 percent and are delivered within three months.
Customization is a natural extension of a house whose founder approached footwear as an object of invention. Since establishing his label in Paris in 1937, Roger Vivier became known for experimentation with form, materials and heel shapes — a vocabulary creative director Gherardo Felloni continues to mine today.
The Saks residency marks Atelier Vivier’s U.S. debut as the service begins expanding to select Roger Vivier boutiques worldwide.