Current Events: Fondest Farewell, Sonia Rykiel
Friday 26th August, 2016
by Roséline
On Thursday, August 26, 2016, French designer Sonia Rykiel passed away at her home in Paris. She was 86. In 2012, the designer had revealed that she had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 15 years earlier.
Born in Paris in May 1930 to a Romanian father and Russian mother, Rykiel began her career in 1948 as a window dresser. Known at the Queen of Knitwear, her first foray into design was the knitting of maternity dresses for herself after marrying Sam Rykiel, the owner of a Paris boutique. Her first big break came in 1962, with the fitted, long-sleeved ‘poor boy sweater’. Shortly after, Elle magazine featured pop star Francoise Hardy wearing a Rykiel sweater on its cover in December 1963. Brigitte Bardot and Audrey Hepburn would also become fans.
The designer would become an established name on the Paris fashion scene when her first store opened in Paris’s Left Bank in 1968. In 2009, she was awarded The Order of Légion d’Honneur in recognition of her 40 years of service in the French fashion industry.
We leave you with these images of the infectious Spring 2008 Ready-to-Wear runway show in Paris.
Above, the fiery-haired designer at the Spring 2008 Ready-to-Wear runway show in Paris, October 5, 2007
Another thing I loved about her was that red hair :)
I remember in the 80s and 90s wearing my Sonia Rykiel sweaters and her adorable velour pieces.
I remember one velour ensemble fondly, a riff on Chanel, quilted short black skirt with camel beige quilted reversible cropped at waist bomber/moto style jacket! Reverse side was black, so collar open popped black or reverse the beige quilted side popped. I got the matching black velour leggings too. It was the perfect elevated casual dressing, it made velour look very chic.
Another velour outfit I had was again a quilted Chanel jacket with bracelet sleeves in fuschia. The buttons were heavy fuschia enamel with gold trim, very Chanel and tiny little side pockets. It had a velour tank with tiny rhinestones sparingly scattered on front, with a straight short skirt, all in fuschia. It was stunning!
She was WAY ahead of the times. Nothing else like her in the market even now. Boy I miss her!
Oh I loved her !! RIP Sweet Lady … the angels will be wearing new fashions soon !