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Camille Seydoux with her Roger Vivier collab(Photo: Courtesy Roger Vivier).
When it comes to cool French girls, Camille Seydoux hits all the inevitable marks: She’s got a certain nonchalant style with just the right amount of feminine charm, she also maintains a sense of irreverence, while still being totally relevant. As a stylist to the stars, she works with an equally enviable client list, which includes her sister, Léa Seydoux (yes, the Bond girl) and Adèle Exarchopoulos.
So it makes perfect sense why Roger Vivier handpicked the stylist for a purse and shoe collaboration, entirely decked out in patchwork denim and lined in hot pink leather. “It is a color that makes me happy,” she explained. “It’s so feminine and it’s really the color for girls.”
Last week, Ms. Seydoux celebrated the Prismick Jeans collaboration with a lunch at Maman, a rustic Tribeca eatery that is famous for its Americanized French fare. A slew of New York girls, including Leandra Medine, Mia Moretti and Garance Doré, who turned up in their best denim and contrasted it with with these Vivier pieces.
A day after her lunch, the Observer met up with Ms. Seydoux at the Roger Vivier boutique on the Upper East Side to discuss her newfound design prowess, how hands on she was with these creations and where in the world she buys her own pieces of denim.
How did you first align with Roger Vivier? It started after the Cannes Film Festival last year, when I met the team in Paris. I met Bruno Frisoni, the actual designer and the studio, and they told me they wanted to work with me on a little collaboration. I was so excited and of course so willing to do it.
What type of parameters did they give you regarding the collection? I was completely free to do things my own way. It’s the first time they did something [like that] with someone outside the team.
How did you land on the idea to do bags and shoes in denim? I was free to do anything, but I also needed to respect the house, the codes and their heritage. One of my favorites from Roger Vivier is the Prismick line. I looked at what they had done in the past with the Prismick and they had never done denim. It was something they wanted to do before and they thought this was a great idea!
Camille Seydoux(Photo: Courtesy Roger Vivier).
What was the first Roger Vivier piece you owned? It was a Prismick bag, a grey one that I got three years ago. But even before this collaboration, I’ve had all these books on Roger Vivier in my place, I love fashion books and I collect them. I would say my favorite design by him were the Mondrian shoe he did with Saint Laurent.
Who was the first person to wear a piece from your collaboration? My sister [Léa Seydoux] for the first James Bond photo call back in November. She wore the platform shoes, but you couldn’t see them because she wore a long dress. But I was the first to carry the bag!
Camille Seydoux(Photo: Courtesy Roger Vivier).
Is this denim the same kind used for jeans? No it’s a special denim, the really strong stuff. You can’t use regular denim when you want to do accessories, especially when you want to do leather details.
How do you think girls in Paris will wear this collection, versus New York? French girls will wear it very chic, with black and a white shirt. I think American girls are going to be more maybe creative and they are going to mix it with other pieces of denim. They won’t be afraid to do crazier things.
Where do you go to buy jeans? When I’m in Paris I go to APC and when I’m in London, I love Topshop. In New York, I go to Barneys when I’m uptown. They have a great denim floor.
Roger Vivier pumps spotted during Paris Fashion Week spring 2014
the epic Roger Vivier sample sale kicked off this morning at Soiffer Haskin with a massive line of shoppers eager to get their hands on discounted shoes, bags, and accessories. We joined the line just before 8:45am, and when doors opened more than an hour later, it would still be another hour and a half before we were able to make it inside. Pictures were prohibited, but we’ll do our best to describe what we saw.After checking coats, bags, and phones, we entered the sale to find a room full of shoes that range in size from 5 to 11 1/2, with a selection that runs the gamut from simple black satin slingbacks ($250) and calf hair smoking flats ($350) to extravagant jeweled buckled platform sandals ($1,450).
There are plenty of the brand’s signature shoes, like Belle Vivier Trompette pumps ($375) and ballerinas ($275) in a variety of colors. We also saw art-y shoes like smoking flats with a makeup brush on top ($550) and bedazzled buckles. Overall, pricing for the majority of what we saw fell between $275 and $375, and each shopper is allowed to purchase a maximum of 10 pairs of shoes.
We also saw wallets for $100, clutches and crossbody bags for $350, larger satchels for $1,200, and totes for $1,400 (bags are limited to three per customer). In terms of jewelry, we saw bracelets and brooches for $75 pins, plus a few necklaces.
Consider this a fair warning: We heard a security guard tell a woman as we were leaving just after 12pm that it would be at least two hours from the time she got in line until she would be able to shop the sale. Check out the Dealfeed below for more details, and if you decide to shop, let us know how you fare in the comments.
monday is already starting off with a bang. Sale venue Soiffer Haskin just announced that the Roger Vivier sample sale will kick off its four-day event on Friday, March 18th at 10am with discounts on shoes, bags, and accessories.
You’ll probably want to plot your attack now, because everything about last year’s sale was epic, starting with the lines and ending with the merchandise selection. Once inside the sale — after waiting for two hours — we found that your basic pump with a three-inch heels was $250. From the signature series, flats and low chunky heels were $330, and heels were $360.
Strappy heels, stilettos, and all other open-toe shoes without a buckle (literally labeled “other shoes”) were also $360. Both plain chunky-heeled and plain stiletto booties were $400, but prices went up to $800 for bedazzled or more intricate ones.
There was also a ten-pair purchase limit last time, and restocking never happened — whether either of these policies will return this year is unclear. In short? Clear your calendar on Friday if you’re looking for deeply discounted heels. Check out the Dealfeed below for more information.
French footwear and accessories label Roger Vivier is courting ultra-chic youth with the help of a celebrity stylist.
Camille Seydoux has taken control of the brand’s Prismick line and revealed an all-denim capsule collection of her own. With a clear design principle and a star-powered campaign, the collaboration will likely find dedicated fans drawn to its unique aesthetic.
“Bringing in outside influencers for a capsule poses excellent opportunities for brands, from increased sales, to refreshing brand image, growing demographics, placements and more, said Paul Farkas, Co-Founder and CEO, Athleisure Mag andAccessory2. “While inspired by a je ne sais quoi Jane Birkin moment, Camille Seydoux channels a bit more Katy Perry/Britney Spears, which works in it’s own right.
“Indeed, the capsule is charming and promises lots of fun, whimsical looks, as the premium denim will play well with mixed looks, day to night, and the festival scene,” he said.
Dressed in denim
The collection is made up of six pieces: platform sandals, ankle boots, sneakers, a shoulder bag, a bucket bag and a backpack. All six pieces are made of denim, chosen in part for its resistance.
The collection marks Ms. Seydoux’s first partnership with a brand. She has previously opened an art gallery and currently designs bespoke dresses for actresses, including her sister, Léa Seydoux.
“I began by attentively exploring my own Prismick bag, which is in a melting fade of black and grey,” Ms. Seydoux, who designed the collection, said in a statement. “I wanted to work on the idea of facets that make up grades of shading.
Denim platform boot
“I looked through the maison’s archives and then I thought of denim,” she continued. “It’s a fabric that naturally burnishes. Denim is both classic and modern, and, significant detail, is very resistant.”
The limited-edition collection will go on sale in the brand’s retail outlets this month.
A cocktail party on March 7 at Roger Vivier’s Paris store took place in honor of the collaboration. Attendees included actress Adèle Exarchopoulos and her “Blue is the Warmest Color” co-star Léa Seydoux, also the designer’s sister and most recent “Bond Girl” for her role in “Spectre.” Photos from the event were shared on Roger Vivier’s social media platforms.
Léa Seydoux, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Camille Seydoux
Roger Vivier also created a video, starring actresses Lubna Playoust, Lola Le Lann and the designer herself.
The video begins with the co-stars calling one another on the phone and arranging a get together. These opening moments aside, there is no dialogue, with only a bass vamp and occasional sound effects on the soundtrack.
The three women get together to play a game, with one of them seen in close-up putting on a pair of the Prismick Denim collection’s sneakers. At the table, in a jump cut, the character played by Ms. Le Lann appears to pull the collection’s purse out of thin air.
A server brings dice, which the women take turns rolling. As they do so, more items from the collection materialize.
The server brings the platform sandals, which Ms. Seydoux strikes a match on. The server then blows it out, but upon doing so, the music drops out and everything except the dice disappear.
He rolls them, and a cart featuring the whole collection appears and the music restarts.
Magic Denim – Camille Seydoux for Roger Vivier
“The video short is well produced and correctly showcases the capsule collection as the star of the magic denim theme,” Mr. Farkas said. “The image breakouts aptly features pin-it hot keys for shareable goodness. Posting highlights from the in-store cocktail party launch ties the festivities and celebration with the campaign.”
The distinct aesthetic and quirky video style will likely attract a self-selecting, specific audience. Heavily targeted collections can help a brand build a loyal audience and cultivate a distinct identity, helping it to stand out within the sector.
Careful and consistent Roger Vivier’s recognizable style often extends from its products into its marketing strategy.
For example, last year the brand showed off its new styles through a retro-futuristic comic book-themed spring catalog.
“Super Vivier” told the story of a fashionable woman and her sidekick shoes and handbags who help her defeat boring style. By featuring its products in the context of a narrative, the brand lengthens the time consumers will likely spend engaging with the new collections (see story).
The brand also tends to tap into celebrities with a discernible youth appeal to help it reach its target market.
In June, Roger Vivier embraced a classic French aesthetic with its latest brand ambassador for the fall/winter 2015 collection.
Roger Vivier chose to tap Jeanne Damas for the year’s campaign, emphasizing the young French blogger’s signature style and Parisian sophistication. Working with a popular blogger for the campaign likely helped Roger Vivier connect with a younger audience while still maintaining its classic French appeal (see story).
“Denim cuts across generations and price points, it’s a mainstay and sexy fabrication,” Mr. Farkas said. “The hues, washes and accessory bodies here can elegantly welcome more mass consumers to the brand, while not disrupting bonds with the more traditional shoppers.”