In the footsteps of Roger Vivier: Italian Gherardo Felloni stamps his mark on French shoe brand
- Effervescent Italian who took over after Bruno Frisoni’s 16 years as creative director aims to respect the Vivier heritage but add contemporary touches
- Having honed his skills at Miu Miu and worked under John Galliano at Dior, Felloni has found his equilibrium working for Tod’s Group, owner of the brand
Sitting in his Paris office right above the Roger Vivier store on Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, you would think Gherardo Felloni has been here forever. Appointed creative director in March 2018 following Bruno Frisoni’s 16-year tenure, the shoe and bag designer has already made a home of his new workplace.
On either side of the room, two massive pink bookshelves display a mix of shoes from contemporary lines and the Roger Vivier archives. His desk, created by a designer friend, sits on a large carpet, pink as well. Felloni has a passion for collecting – shoes, of course, and furniture, but antique jewellery above all.
Felloni was born in Tuscany, Italy, to a family of shoemakers. His first passion was architecture. In 1958, his uncle founded a shoe factory along with his father, where they created samples for big companies such as Hermès, Gucci and Prada.
“As a child, I used to spend a lot of time in the factory with my father. I had the chance to play with leather, colours, and see how shoes were made, so I had that knowledge from a very young age,” he says.
