Sonia Rykiel

Sonia Rykiel is a French fashion brand founded in 1968 by fashion designer and writer Sonia Rykiel. The brand is known for its playful, colourful and feminine designs, as well as its signature striped knitwear. Sonia Rykiel began her career in fashion as a window dresser in Paris, but soon realised that her true passion was designing clothes. She opened her first boutique in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district of Paris in 1968 and her designs quickly became popular with the city’s fashionable set. Her first collection featured knitwear in bright colours, a departure from the neutral colours and stiff fabrics popular at the time. One of the key features of Sonia Rykiel’s designs is her focus on comfort and ease of movement. Her clothes are designed to be worn every day, not just on special occasions. This philosophy is reflected in the brand’s use of natural fabrics such as cotton, wool and silk, as well as the loose and flowing silhouettes of many of her designs. Another defining feature of the Sonia Rykiel brand is its use of stripes. The brand’s striped knitwear has become iconic and is often used in unexpected ways, such as on evening gowns or as a contrasting detail on a tailored blazer. Today, the Sonia Rykiel brand continues to be a favourite among fashion-forward women around the world. Its collections include a range of clothing, accessories and fragrances, all of which reflect the brand’s playful and feminine spirit. While Sonia Rykiel herself passed away in 2016, her legacy lives on through the brand that bears her name.