A Brief History of Sonia Rykiel’s Iconic Runway Moments
The legendary French designer Sonia Rykiel, who died Thursday at the age 86 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, has been a tour de force in the fashion industry since the early 1960s, earning the title: “The Queen of Knitwear.” Here, a look back at Rykiel’s most memorable runway looks through the years.
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As the story goes, in the early 1960s, Rykiel couldn’t find a maternity dress she liked, so she made her own. She sold the look at her husband’s boutique in Paris, and then one day Audrey Hepburn waltzed in and bought 14 for herself. Clearly, her liberated yet practical French sexuality struck a chord. And in 1968, she officially launched her own namesake brand. (Sonia Rykiel Spring 1973.)
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Rykiel quickly became known for her unique take on knitwear, being one of the first designers to ever put text on a sweater. Her signature, loose-fitting look would later be dubbed the “poor-boy sweater,” but that didn’t stop her. (Sonia Rykiel Fall 1990.)
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There is nothing simple about Sonia Rykiel’s obsession with stripes. (Sonia Rykiel Fall 1994.)
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Rykiel also had a love of fur, using it to add pops of color to her otherwise predominately gray and black collections. (Sonia Rykiel Fall 1991.)
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Rykiel loved shawls, but the way she styled them never shrouded the female form. (Sonia Rykiel Spring 1991 collection.)
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Rykiel’s runway shows were always full of life, with supermodels like Helena Christensen and Tyra Banks smiling arm-in-arm down the catwalk, and joining everyone at the end to strike a group pose. (Sonia Rykiel Spring 1991 collection.)
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Sonia Rykiel Spring 1992
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Tyra Banks walks Sonia Rykiel Spring 1992.
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Helena Christensen walks Sonia Rykiel Spring 1994.
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Sonia Rykiel Fall 1991
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Sonia Rykiel Spring 1989
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Sonia Rykiel Fall 1994
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In 1995, Sonia Rykiel’s daughter Nathalie was appointed Artistic Director and CEO of the brand. And in 2007 she became President. (Helena Christensen walks Sonia Rykiel Fall 1996.)
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Sonia Rykiel Fall 1997
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Sonia Rykiel Spring 1999
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Sonia Rykiel Spring 2001
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Sonia Rykiel Spring 2003
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Sonia Rykiel Fall 2005
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Sonia Rykiel Spring 2006
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Rykiel also dabbled in menswear, reinterpreting some of her signature women’s styles for the modern man. (Sonia Rykiel Menswear Fall 2007.)
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Sonia Rykiel Fall 2008
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Sonia Rykiel Fall 2007
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Sonia Rykiel Spring 2008
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Sonia Rykiel Spring 2009
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In 2008, the brand celebrated its 40th birthday and paid homage to Sonia Rykiel and some of her most memorable designs. (Sonia Rykiel Spring 2009)
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Today, with Rykiel’s own daughter Nathalie as President and Julie de Libran as artistic director, the brand continues its original look and legacy, translating it for today’s modern-day customers like Kendall Jenner. (Sonia Rykiel Spring 2015.)
