Roger Vivier Hosts Pre-Launch Book Party in Paris!

Inès de la Fressange and Bruno Frisoni

My friend Sylvia (Finding Noon) loves shoes. More specifically, she adores Roger Vivier's exquisite creations. This explains why I wasn't too surprised that the code to the front door of Sylvia's apartment building mysteriously didn't work when I went to pick up the invitation for the Roger Vivier cocktail party that she had generously offered to give me. I secretly suspect that Sylvia, who was busy packing for her ski vacation in the French Alps, inadvertently told me the wrong number for the code so that she could hang onto her invitation for as long as possible, just in case she had a last-minute change of heart. If she had, I would have totally understood. Having been to soirées at Roger Vivier in the past, Sylvia knew that she was going to miss out on a fabulous evening. But like a munificent fairy godmother, she kissed me good-bye on both cheeks and graciously told me to go and have a wonderful time.

Cheers to Roger Vivier, both the book and the house!

While brand ambassador Inès de la Fressange and creative director Bruno Frisoni host cocktail parties several times a year, this particular soiree was to pre-launch Roger Vivier, a lavish book tracing the history of the historic house. With 300 color photos and sketches by Vivier and Frisoni, the tome includes Vivier's creation of the first stiletto heel for Dior in 1955 and the pilgrim-buckle pump made famous by Catherine Deneuve in the 1967 movie Belle du Jour.

Deciding to arrive fashionably late rather than too early, Kate (Mais Oui Paris) and I missed seeing Scottish actress Tilda Swinton and Catherine Deneuve, who stopped by before going to the Saint Laurent show. We were, however, happy to be there when Inès de la Fressange and Bruno Frisoni blew out the sparklers illuminating a three-tiered cake topped by a sugar-coated book with "Roger Vivier" emblazoned on it. Suspecting correctly that the lanky fashionistas in attendance would shun dessert in lieu of the red lollipops being distributed by the waiters, Kate and I graciously accepted huge slices of the sweet confection.

In between sipping glasses of Ruinart champagne and admiring the garlands of white paper flowers hanging from the ceilings, we spent most of our time looking down. It's not that Kate and I are shy and didn't want to interact with the other guests, it's just that we preferred to admire all of the glamorous Roger Vivier creations, including the beaded Indian slippers worn by Inès de la Fressange. Absolutely gorgeous!

Roger Vivier will be on the bookshelves in April.

Please click here to see additional photos from the soirée posted on "Out and About's" Facebook page.

Roger Vivier's boutique festooned with flowers for the fête!

Comments

  1. What fun you have Mary Kay! By the way, Catherine Deneuve is a 'guilty' fascination of mine...I would have been devastated had I just missed seeing her.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No need to feel guilty about your fascination with Catherine Deneuve. I would venture to speculate that many people feel exactly the same way! Fortunately, I only found out that she had been at the soiree the following morning. If I had found out at the party, I would have been devastated to have just missed her. Sylvia told me that CD frequents the Café de Flore so perhaps I will be lucky enough to see her there one day.

      Delete
  2. What an evening, Mary Kay! You become a Paris-VIP more and more :-)
    Have a nice day - S

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a magical evening but I've got to admit that I wouldn't have even known about it if Sylvia hadn't offered me her invitation. She's the one with her fingers on the pulse of the fashion industry in Paris. Have a nice day in Vienna!

      Delete
  3. Usually your send postcards from your vacation saying, "Wish you were here." Well, I wish I had been there!!! Bises!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish you would have been there, too!!! Kate and I had a fabulous time - thanks to you! You would have loved seeing all of the glorious shoes. They're much more attractive than the ski boots that you're seeing while on vacation. Stay safe on the slopes and see you soon! xx

      Delete
  4. Sounds fantastic! And I like your thinking on the cake :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. While I won't go so far as to say that the fashionistas fled in the other direction when they started slicing the cake, it's the first time that I've ever seen such total disinterest. The champagne, on the other hand, was a big attraction!

      Delete
  5. What a fun girl's night out! If it was anything like the Vivier party we all went to back in September, then I'm sure it was a blast - if not more!

    I LOVE his 60s-esque buckled flats! I could get a pair in every color. Now that PFW is over for me, you've inspired me to have a glass of bubbly. Thanks MK! Bon week-end!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers, Mlle Ella! I hope that you enjoyed your glass of champagne last night. After the busy week that you've had covering PFW, you definitely deserved some bubbly.

      A pair of Roger Vivier flats in every color - that's what I've been dreaming about ever since Monday night and I'm not even a shoe person!

      Delete
  6. Where is the tidy-up waiter? The book display table shouldn't look like that!

    It sounds like you had a great night though, sorry you missed such legends though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The tidy-up waiter and all the other waiters were busy keeping everyone's glasses full of Ruinart champagne. To say that it was flowing is an understatement!

      Delete

Post a Comment