Hot on the stylish heels of their burlesque-inspired lingerie collection for H&M, the creative mother-daughter duo of Sonia and Nathalie Rykiel are now bringing that French je-ne-sais-quoi to a knitwear collaboration with the Swedish fashion giant.
Known for her signature hot pink-yellow-and-black stripes, which are found on everything from sweaters, dresses and as-long-as-you-want scarves, the Rykiel look is quintessentially Left-Bank Parisian: always chic, but with a younger, edgier twist. Think: classic berets with sequins (another Rykiel staple); saucy Brigitte Bardot Breton stripes; sex-kitten skirt suits.
The label started when a pregnant Sonia, in the 1950s, was searching for comfortable knits to wear — and ended up designing her own. Twenty years later, Women's Wear Daily named her the world's knitwear queen, and business in her St Germain des Pres store, in the heart of Paris's Left Bank, hasn't stopped booming, with perfumes, children's-wear and some more risque collections being developed.
Nathalie, the brand's creative director since 1995, tells tabloid! how they are taking their taking the Rykiel look to the masses, with the launch of the collaboration this Saturday.
What first drew you to do a collaboration with H&M?
To offer fantastic Rykiel clothes at very affordable price.
Describe Sonia Rykiel-style in five words.
Parisian, Saint-Germain, chic, bohemian, mysterious.
Who is the woman that wears Sonia Rykiel?
All of them!
How did you translate the classic Rykiel style into this range?
Bright colours, wonderful stripes and iconic knit dresses.
Favourite piece from the collection?
The "My pull Rykiel" sweater — wear it with a pair of jeans for a day at the mall.
Can women really wear horizontal stripes?
Yes — with something black on bottom.
In tune with Nathalie
Nathalie Rykiel takes us through a day in the life of her iPod, and shares some of the music — with plenty of French classics — that inspires her feisty designs.
Right now I would play:Vanessa Paradis
One to make me cry is:Ne me quitte pas — Nina Simone
One to make me dance: Michael Jackson — Billie Jean
At karaoke I would sing:Joe Dassin — Aux champs Elysées
At my funeral they should play:La Norma — Maria Callas
First smooched to:My Man — Billie Holliday
First single/album I bought myself was:Bob Dylan
One I would skip on my iPod today is:Jacques Dutronc — Paris s'éveille
Most listened to this month is:ABBA, the last Vanessa Paradis
Total MB and number of tracks stored: 16 MB — 1,200 tracks
