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Tribute to Sonia Rykiel

Sonia Rykiel, legendary designer of her eponymous fashion label, sadly passed away on Thursday August 25 at the age of 86. Vogue Paris pays tribute.
Tribute to Sonia Rykiel

Born in Neuilly in May 1930, Sonia Rykiel passed away on Thursday August 25 in Paris at the age of 86 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. The designer, well-recognized for her flaming red hair, founded her eponymous fashion label in May 1968 and opened her first boutique in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood of Paris the same year. With her famous body-hugging little sweaters, funky reverse stitching, silky materials and love of black, Sonia Rykiel created a style that was audacious, feminine and irresistibly Parisian. This aesthetic was faithfully honored by her daughter Nathalie, who took over as creative director of the house from 1995 to 2011 - a position that was subsequently filled by April Crichton, Geraldo da Conceicao and finally Julie de Libran, head of the label since 2014. Oft dubbed the ‘Queen of Knitwear’, Rykiel was a true visionary and heavyweight of French fashion, creating clothes for individual personalities rather than dictating a single style to the masses. She will be sorely missed.