Sonia Rykiel pays tribute to its late founder

Sonia Rykiel was an icon of the fashion industry. With her trademark knits and revolutionary understanding of dressing for the needs of modern women, the designer changed the landscape of fashion. Now, a new capsule collection by Julie de Libran, head of the house she left behind, is paying tribute to her. 

‘RYKIEL FOREVER’ is made of 13 pieces which look to the archives, reworking the house’s most familiar codes into new garments that have the same knack for appealing to today’s busy women as Rykiel’s original designs had. Stripes and the iconic ‘SONIA RYKIEL 175 SAINT GERMAIN’ lettering have been graphically updated in bold red, white and blue lines. 

Models Marjan Jonkman and Vanessa Moody were shot by Sean Thomas for the collection. Through a vintage filtered lens, the pair pose between rows of sewing machines and boxes of fabrics, channelling the carefree, Left Bank energy that made the brand’s name in the first place.

Together, they make up a fitting tribute to the designer who de Libran recognises as not only “a legend of fashion,” – but also as someone whose “challenging (of) the status quo and empowering women to embrace their freedom of spirit, intellect, sensuality, friendships and individuality, all with a lightness of touch and humour,” is still so relevant today.

See the campaign imagery above. The collection is available now.