Farewell To Fashion Design Legend Sonia Rykiel
The designer was iconic within the French fashion industry [Photo: Getty]
French fashion designer Sonia Rykiel has died. The industry icon, known for her colourful knitwear designs, was 86 years old.
Rykiel had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for 15 years, a health battle that she made public in 2012.
Nathalie Rykiel, managing and artistic director of the Sonia Rykiel fashion label, said: “My mother died at 05:00 this morning at her home in Paris from the effects of Parkinson's”. Her added that his mother’s designs had “offered women freedom of movement”.
French president Francois Hollande publicly paid his respects, praising Rykiel as “a pioneer”.
Rykiel was a hugely popular and well-known designer and made waves in the French fashion scene. Born on May 25, 1930, her first store opened in Paris in 1968 and some of her celebrity clients included Brigette Bardot and Audrey Hepburn.
In 2009, Vogue reports, she was awarded The Order of Légion d'Honneur in recognition of her 40 years of service in the French fashion industry.
Gigi Hadid walking for Sonia Rykiel at Paris Fashion Week earlier this year [Photo: Getty]
While Rykiel stepped back from designing for the label some time ago, she still served as a honorary president. Today, her eponymous label is just as popular and is favoured by the likes of Julianne Moore and Suki Waterhouse. The brand still shows at Paris Fashion Week.
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