Xin Zhilei, stunningly brings to life VIVIER OP-TICAL, the Fall-Winter 2024-25 collection envisioned by Creative Director, Gherardo Felloni. The campaign presents stunning visuals that celebrate iconic designs inspired by the Maison’s 1960s optical archives.
Drawing inspiration from the mesmerizing geometric patterns of the Op Art movement that swept over France in the 1960s, the collection pays tribute to Roger Vivier's most graphical designs. With poised elegance and effortless grace, Xin Zhilei interprets the collection in an eloquent rewriting of timeless style. Her calm aura defies a dramatic décor where infinity loops, plays on perspective, symmetrical effects, and circular compositions set the tone of optical illusion. Against this whimsical backdrop, the actress embodies a heartfelt homage to an era where guarded sophistication mingled with defying avant-garde vision.
Each frame captures the Maison’s exquisite craftsmanship and innovative spirit while being imbued with Xin Zhilei's captivating screen presence. In them, the Belle Vivier pumps and Viv’ Choc bags stand as symbols of contemporary style and female empowerment, much like the actress’s well-regarded place in international cinema.
Gherardo Felloni’s tribute to Roger Vivier’s shift towards a more sleek and graphic aesthetic is manifest in many creations of the collection. The new Viv’ Choc optical bags feature black and white contrasts, while their maxi versions subvert scale. The symmetrical chequered patterns on the Belle Vivier slingbacks find echo in the psychedelic stripes of the I Love Vivier pumps. Other designs allude to the period’s circular and flowy Space Age movement, notably the padded cushion-like Viv’ Up sneakers or the Royal Hobo bag and its convex shape inspired by an inverted headband. Otherwise, the waistcoat remains a central piece of the Maison’s repertoire, enhanced here by Zhilei’s ballerina-like posture. Each gilet is embellished in its own style, from ornate metal studs to fringe accents.
However, a collection celebrating the 60s could not ignore the classical Belle Vivier. This emblematic design of the Maison became a symbol of the era’s French culture and its global influence thanks to Catherine Deneuve in ‘Belle de Jour’, the iconic 1967 film by Luis Buñuel. The shoe asserted the protagonist’s conservative elegance while suggesting her internalized rebellion against the moral judgments of the time. Now on Xin Zhilei’s feet, the shoe carries on its legacy, continuing to be worn by fierce women who head fearlessly into what the future lays ahead.
