Fresh, flirty and fun. These three words describe Sonia Rykiel’s new collaboration with H&M. After the success of previous partnerships with big name brands such as Jimmy Choo and Stella McCartney, it comes as no surprise the French designer would be up for the challenge of presenting a collection for every woman.
After the vintage-inspired lingerie collaboration flew off the racks in December, the addition of a 78-piece collection of women and girl’s clothing has just been released in preparation for spring.
The diffusion line offers a more accessible way of wearing Rykiel’s fun and feminine designs, it mimics the bold block color juxtaposed with Parisian black and stripes seen in her Spring 2010 Ready to Wear runway show. The collection is the perfect combination of old-fashioned feminine chic and modernity.
The design house was started by its namesake in 1968. Rykiel’s designs rose to fame with her ability to make knits extremely fashionable and versatile. She became known for experimental ways of constructing clothing, and was innovative in trying new ways of interpreting the way in which a garment is created, changing up seams, lining and hems. In more recent years, the brand has expanded from France to the U.S. and this is reflected in the new collection. Her daughter Nathalie, is now creative director. The brand certainly keeps it in the family, being the only fashion house to remain entirely family owned in its 42-year existence.
Living up to the name of “˜Queen of Knits’ the H&M knitwear collaboration features sweaters heavily. Rykiel continues the trend she started, adorning words across the front of the clothes, with two sweaters brandishing “˜Mon Pull Rykiel’ ““ translated: My Rykiel Sweater. She gets the message across.
A favorite piece from the collection would be the bright yellow sweater, adorned with a ruffle around the neck, finished off with a sprinkling of sequins. It’s kitsch without screaming “˜I miss the ’80s’, and would look wonderful with a pair of jeans shorts come spring.
Rykiel offers a diverse collection of dresses, ranging from a Herve Leger-inspired striped bandage dress, to a pale pink ruffled ’20s number, to loose but sexy jumper dresses. She offers dresses for all occasions but more importantly, they are perfect for the UCLA girl on the go, as they can be dressed up or down. The particularly Parisian black-and-white striped jumper dress is perfect for a day on campus and could be easily jazzed up with a red lip and black pumps, ready for a night out in Hollywood.
The collection offers more interesting pieces such as a black jumpsuit and plays with textures in the bobble-fronted knit vests. Another highlight would be the amazing way in which she manages to make the only piece of swimwear both modern- and vintage-inspired. The two-piece yellow-and-white bikini adorned with black straps would not be out of place on a beach now or in the ’40’s.
The most crucial thing about the collaboration is it manages to maintain the spirit of what Rykiel is celebrated for while including the essence and wearability H&M is known and loved for. With the most expensive piece being around $70, the clothes are versatile and most importantly, affordable.
The only criticism I can venture would be the similarity of the pieces in the women’s and girls’ collections, hinting that they may come across as slightly childish. Unless you’re a young twenty-something who enjoys dressing like her younger sister, it might be a bit of a turn-off. And let’s face it, no one wants to have a “˜walk-off’ with a five-year-old.
E-mail Coady at ccoady@media.ucla.edu.