Sonia Rykiel
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The Label
Desperate to find comfy, stylish clothes to wear during her pregnancy in the early sixties, Parisian Sonia Rykiel decided to make some of her own, using resources from her retailer husband’s business. In 1968, she opened her own boutique on the Left Bank from which she hawked her covetable knits. The American press dubbed her the “Queen of Knits.” (She even penned an erotic romance novel about a man, a woman, and a sweater.) From there, she proceeded to invert seams, de-line looks, and add other non-precious, fun effects to her clothes, winning her a following among the fashion-forward folks. Today, her label encompasses lingerie, accessories, children’s clothing and menswear, and beauty, and is still a family-owned business.
The Look
Quirky but quintessential Left Bank chic.
The Designer
Born in Paris in 1930, Sonia Rykiel had no formal design training except window dressing when she was a teenager. But in 1985, the French government showed its appreciation by awarding her the Legion d’Honneur. Today, her daughter Nathalie, who serves as the company’s creative director, infuses much of her mother’s cheekiness into the label—she added sex toys to the retail offerings at their freestanding stores.
