American Dream in Paris

Sonia Rykiel, the flame-haired godmother of Parisian chic, celebrated her 40 years in fashion with a massive dinner, 500 A list celebrities and catwalk spectacle in a marquee in the national park of Saint Cloud, overlooking an amazing view of Paris, on Wednesday night.

The Sonia Rykiel show was tongue-in-cheek as a superman outfit by American fashion designer Jeremy Scott appeared on the catwalk.

Paris Fashion Week turned democratic as one of the designers’ clearly showed support for Barack Obama, US Democratic Presidential candidate, at the Sonia Rykiel Spring/Summer 2009 show. This collection was a collaboration to celebrate 40 years of the fashion house and included many guest designers, which was a surprise organized by Sonia’s daughter Nathalie.

Guest designers included the mother and daughter, duo guest designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy, who sent one model down the catwalk in a preppy cheerleader-style jumper dress with the name ‘Obama’ emblazoned across the model’s chest.

Democratic support included message that was reinforced by the famous quote from Martin Luther King, ‘I have a dream’.

The ready-to-wear collection was designed by Gabrielle Greiss under Sonia Rykiel’s supervision and included around 30 silhouettes signed by other top designers.

The most eye-catching dress came from Jean Paul Gaultier who paid homage to Rykiel’s title of the ‘Queen of Knits’ with an almost unfinished black striped dress held up by giant knitting needles!

Other designers who contributed were the fashion elite: Gaultier, Lacroix and Castelbajac, along with Martin Margiela, Yohji Yamamoto, Karl Lagerfeld, Vivienne Westwood, Valentino, Rodarte, Stella McCartney, Diane Von Furstenberg, Narciso Rodriguez and Michael Kors.

The 500 celebrity guests, included celebrities such as Kate Bosworth, Emma Watson, Dita Von Teese, Natalia Vodianova and Mila Jovovich sat down to dine before the show.

Emma who was wearing a silver knitted Rykiel dress to prove that the iconic French brand of the 1968 youth quake generation is still young at heart said:

I just thought it would be an amazing thing to come.”

To the sound of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Happy Birthday’ and the popping of champagne corks, Sonia Rykiel took a very well-deserved bow.

Even at 78 Sonia Rykiel is having fun. Her dresses, berets and stockings are cheeky and playful.

Happy Birthday, Sonia!

Follow Us

Become a Fan on Facebook