Joie de Vivier: designer Bruno Frisoni is breathing new life into the legendary Parisian house that Roger Vivier built.(Accessories Flash)

W, March, 2005 by Kerwin, Jessica

The similarities are striking: In his retro nerd glasses, Bruno Frisoni, who serves as creative director at the luxe accessories house of Roger Vivier, could almost pass for a younger version of the brand's legendary namesake, another tall, thin Parisian brimming with charm. But the real parallel between the two designers is a passion for decorative whimsy--plumes, crystals, snakeskin or pearls--and a drive to innovate.

Vivier, who died in 1998, was often called the Faberge of footwear. He was credited with designing the first stiletto heel in 1954 and blamed for mining carpets and fine wood floors the world over in the name of fashion. His convex, hypercurved Shock heel caused a sensation five years later, and in 1963, he bent things in the other direction,...