Sonia Rykiel
PARIS, October 9, 2003
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How does she do it? Sonia Rykiel's collection managed to be both a recap of her greatest hits and yet still look fresh and in sync with everything currently hip in fashion. From her trademark skinny rib sweaters in multicolored bands worn with fashionably short microshorts to her signature floaty dresses (this season dappled with poppies, stars, and pansies), Rykiel was right on target. Ditto her quintessential black tailoring—but then long, lean, and languid never really goes out of fashion.What's most extraordinary about this defiantly young-spirited woman (now in her 70s) is her passion for sexy clothes that never dip into vulgar. That's true even for pieces like the mesh black body stockings decorated with Rykiel's beloved crystal and presented so nonchalantly (one with a built-in G-string!); they looked like something a trapeze artist at a racy Parisian circus might wear.
Given Rykiel's frank enjoyment of the sensual, it seemed only fitting that she'd share it with her audience. For the finale, she sent out a troop of handsome men to spritz the air with her new scent, Rykiel Woman—and then let her bra-clad models smooch and canoodle with the boys. Now here's a woman who has perfected the twin arts of nice and naughty.
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