It's been a transitional few months at Sonia Rykiel. With Geraldo da Conceicao (who previously worked at Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, and Miu Miu) slated to make his debut as artistic director at the label's Fall runway show in March, the in-house design team turned out an interim pre-fall collection that hit on many Rykiel hallmarks. There was an emphasis, as usual, on sweater dressing. An extra-oversize (read: extra-comfortable) chunky turtleneck was paired with a kicky pleated miniskirt, and knitted fur jackets of all sorts—rabbit, fox, and mink—stood out. This collection should fare well commercially (it's hard to go wrong with slouchy tweed suiting separates and printed silk pajamas), but it lacked some of the whimsy and vitality we've come to expect from the Rykiel family. We've got high hopes for da Conceicao's premiere.
