"Thorn"
Roger Vivier is one of the most revered shoe designers of the 20th century. Beginning his career in the late 1920s, Vivier designed for many of the top manufacturers of Europe and the United States, including Pinet, Bally, Rayne, Salamander, and Delman before rising to the height of fame for his designs for Christian Dior from 1953 to 1963. He continued to design into the 1990s both under his own label and for numerous couture designers, including Saint Laurent, Grès, Ungaro, and Balmain. Vivier is most noted for his innovative toe and heel shapes, the supreme elegance and harmony of his designs, his sometimes subtle but inventive and highly refined details, and for his conception of footwear as integral to fashion.
In 1992, Roger Vivier renewed his relationship with Delman, Inc. As fashion turned from the ultra-luxurious aesthetic of the 1980s to a more refined elegance, it was an ideal juncture for Vivier to revisit many of his iconic features and his distinctive aesthetic at the culmination of his career.
In 1992, Roger Vivier renewed his relationship with Delman, Inc. As fashion turned from the ultra-luxurious aesthetic of the 1980s to a more refined elegance, it was an ideal juncture for Vivier to revisit many of his iconic features and his distinctive aesthetic at the culmination of his career.
Artwork Details
- Title: "Thorn"
- Designer: Roger Vivier (French, 1913–1998)
- Manufacturer: Delman (American, founded 1919)
- Date: spring/summer 1993
- Culture: French
- Medium: silk, metal
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Stanley and Murray Silverstein, Nina Footwear, 1993
- Object Number: 2009.300.1633a, b
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Roger Vivier
Delman
fall/winter 1993–94
Roger Vivier
René Caovilla
fall/winter 1986–87
Roger Vivier
Delman
1992
Roger Vivier
Delman
fall/winter 1992
Roger Vivier
early 1980s
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.