Like last season, Sonia Rykiel sat on the sidelines at her show today. But where Fall felt like a departure from her Left Bank gamine look—how could it not with all those Scottish tartans and argyles?—this was a return to her brand's roots. If Nathalie Rykiel and her new creative director, April Crichton, ventured from the house's metaphorical Rive Gauche stomping grounds, it was only as far as Provence for a sweet yellow linen sundress with flowers and the word "divine" picked out near the hem. Sunshine filtered through the collection, from the clingy striped knits to the taffeta top cropped above a matching full skirt. Watercolor pansies and tulip prints had charm, too. The tan herringbone pattern on jackets and pants didn't ring true, but tailoring played a minor part in this sweet show. A press release revealed that Crichton was once Sonia's right-hand woman. You could tell.
