Ciao Milano! Roger Vivier To Open Milan Flagship Store in February 2008

Roger Vivier, the French luxury shoemaker, plans to open its first Italian flagship store in Milan this coming February. This follows the opening in 2007 of a flagship store on Madison Avenue in New York City in addition to its main store on Avenue du Faubourg Saint-Honore in Paris, a store in Hong Kong and a small boutique on London's Sloan Street.

The Milanese store will be housed in an 18th-century palazzo located on Via Sant'Andrea, off Via Montenapoleone in the city's exclusive shopping district. It is anticipated that Roger Vivier's Milanese store will have the same decor as that found in the brand's flagship Paris store which was inspired by the founding designer's own Quai d'Orsay apartment, a look that has been repeated in the Manhattan store. Client's can therefore expect an elegant and eclectic mix of French antiques, African tribal art and cutting edge consoles and mirrors from French furniture designer Herve Van der Straeten.

Roger Vivier, the brand's founder, passed away in 1998 after an illustrious career making shoes for Christian Dior in the 1950's and having designed the shoe worn by Queen Elizabeth II for her coronation. He was a favorite of legendary Vogue editor, Diana Vreeland and he made the iconic buckle shoe worn by Catherine Deneuve in Louis Bunuel's iconic 60's film Belle de Jour. Diego Della Valle, CEO of Tod's Group, took control of the brand in 2001 and promptly recruited the very talented Bruno Frisoni as creative director and the effortlessly cool Ines de la Fressange as the brand's ambassadress. In addition to shoes, Frisoni developed handbags, sunglasses and jewelry. Della Valle has plans to open another store in Tokyo and second stores in Paris and London.

Photographic References:

Left to right: Creative Director Bruno Frison with Ines de la Fressange; A display of Roger Vivier shoes; Diego Della Valle, CEO of Tod's Group.