Sonia Rykiel Collaborates with H&M for Holiday 2009 Collection

PARIS, Sep 28, 2009 / FW/ — On the eve of Paris Fashion Week Spring 2010 season, one of the biggest news is that Sonia Rykiel is going to be the next guest designer for H&M and Nathalie Rykiel, President and Artistic Director of the label will create two collections for the trendy retailer.

Slated to reach 1,500 H&M stores worldwide on December 5, 2009, the lingerie collection and related accessories for women to be designed by Nathalie Rykiel will mark H&M’s first foray in the world of lingerie.

Surprisingly, the said collection will also be available in Sonia Rykiel’s major boutiques around the world, which is also another first for H&M.

“It is a hallmark of Sonia Rykiel to think of all women because fashion is about a certain spirit more than a question of means. This collaboration fits perfectly with our philosophy. The Sonia Rykiel pour H&M lingerie collection is the ideal way to offer the essence of Rykiel to a great number of women around the world, and a beautiful way to close the year,” says Nathalie Rykiel.

Then on February 20, 2010, the second collaboration between H&M and Sonia Rykiel will reach 250 H&M stores. Featuring an iconic knitwear collection for women and girls (1.5 to 8 years old) accompanied by playful accessories, this second collection by Nathalie Rykiel will highlight the imitable Sonia Rykiel style of femininity, Parisian chic and modernity.

“Sonia Rykiel is a true fashion icon who has an attitude that inspires admiration among women of all ages around the world.” says H&M creative advisor Margareta van den Bosch. “It’s a wonderful highlight for our main collection.”

Sonia Rykiel’s singular fashion story began at a revolutionary time in France: the extraordinary spring of May 1968. Since the opening of her first boutique on the rue de Grenelle in that time of social upheaval, Rykiel has become an ambassadress of a very Parisian, deeply Saint Germain style, with its hallmarks of individuality, modernity and a certain impertinence that the designer calls “la démode” (“unfashion”).

Rykiel signatures include inside-out stitching, a preponderance of black, lace, strass, colourful stripes and, of course, the knit pullovers that have become synonymous with the brand. A flamboyant redhead, the designer is a national icon who has been decorated with many honours; she is also the author of nine books and has consistently been an influential presence on the French social and cultural scene.

Since her daughter, Nathalie Rykiel, joined the company in 1975, the house has expanded to include the lines: Sonia by Sonia Rykiel, Rykiel Woman, Rykiel Enfant, shoes and accessories. Sonia Rykiel is the only French group in the fashion industry to remain family-owned and 100% independent.

[MARGUERITE SEBASTIEN]