In His Shoes
Bruno Frisoni, creative director of Roger Vivier, sits down with Jolene Khor for a chat about beauty, time and—what else —the power of shoes
n an industry saturated with energy, stimulationn and trends, it’s not uncommon to meett the jaded fashion designer or two. We could describe Bruno Frisoni, the creative director of Roger Vivier in many words—tired, because he just arrived in Singapore hours before our interview, candid, clever and intense— but jaded he is not. Fresh off the success of the first Roger Vivier sneakers, the aptly named Sneaky Viv’, the designer is at it again, reinventing the brand’s iconic buckle. “It’s a big piece of Roger Vivier, but not a big piece of Roger Vivier,” he said of designing the heavily 1970s-influenced pieces around the insignia, simultaneously pulling in references of hit retro prints and pop persuasion from the archives, and injecting his own lively imagination. And after all that, he comes clean about his motivations, his muse and what he really thinks about flat shoes.
After 12 years with Roger Vivier, what continues to inspire you to design?
Fashion is about being open to influences. It could be art, music, or a social movement. The way people dress, do sport, pick up their kids at school. Fashion always mirrors the times we live in, so my inspiration comes from the people that live in it. If a brand is not relevant that way, it will not exist.
What is more important, moving with the times or shaping it?
As a designer, you have to go with the times and shape it concurrently. But I think, more than anything, fashion is about anticipating the times. Anticipate what people can’t imagine, anticipate their desires.
What then, do you anticipate for the future?
Fashion is not such a serious subject. I don’t believe we can invent a new way to walk! Dressing should please yourself and the people you meet, so it’s important that fashion makes life better, makes you unique. It’s totally about feelings, intuition. Look at the bags, they’re almost always the same. The future is in the new ways we interpret them, to wear them differently.
Beauty has been long associated with pain. Do you agree?
There is a designer who has said that if a shoe is not painful, throw it away. I believe desire is about pain. Style is not about comfort. If you want to meet people, be good looking, there’s always going to be a bit of a pain.
But what about flats?
I always love flats, but to me, heels are great because they make women feel taller, thinner. It makes them stand a different way. Not every woman feels this way but many feel stronger and more desirable. It’s the same with make-up.
Which explains the lipstick print on this season’s clutch.
It started a few seasons ago, after I saw She’s an incredible woman who’s inspired me. I worked mostly on the attitude— I liked the idea of her delivering a kiss on the ballerina flats. It’s not sexual, but it’s sexy.