Julie de Libran is making fast work of her renovations chez Sonia Rykiel. The house's Boulevard Saint-Germain store was packed to the skylight today, and not just with friends and family. The front row was lined with more international editors in chief than the label has had the pleasure of welcoming in years. De Libran's debut last September was a hit. It honored Rykiel's legacy and the house's codes in an intuitive, modern way, and everybody turned up tonight to see if she could keep the momentum going.
The collection, if not quite as enticing as her first, remained promising. Knits are integral to the Rykiel DNA, which means Fall is a rich season at this house. The marinière got a fresh update with chain-fringe detailing, and a couple of navy mohair sweaters looked cozy with turtlenecks that inched up toward the chin. But the most interesting development was the appearance of four young men on the runway in Rykiel's signature striped sweaters (models Josephine Le Tutour and Ophélie Guillermand's handsome brothers included). "I had guy friends telling me they used to love Rykiel sweaters, so I thought, why not?" de Libran explained. A kids' line might be next.
Beyond the knits, this show suggested that Rykiel could become a legit destination for a statement coat, too. The navy peacoat lined with curly white shearling was terrific. Other things women will seek out from de Libran's Rykiel included fab button-fly corduroy flares and patchwork furs. At Rykiel's Pre-Fall presentation in New York, a celebrity stylist was overheard pleading with de Libran for a Golden Globes dress for her star client. "She does the best red-carpet dresses," the stylist attested. So far, though, de Libran is thinking lower-key and intimate for evening. A blue velvet jumpsuit with a peephole neckline would be a blast to wear for a night out dancing.
