Upon completing a thorough tour of her latest collection, Julie de Libran revealed that she recently became a shareholder and partner in Sonia Rykiel. “I’m part of the family now,” she said nonchalantly, even as a big smile expanded across her face. Three-and-a-half years into leading the quintessentially Left Bank brand back to relevancy, she has committed to Sonia Rykiel—and they to her—at a level increasingly uncommon in this business. Evidently, they consider themselves well-matched. To rewind back through Pre-Fall offers a glimpse of what they get right.
As De Libran singled out the collection’s key looks, what stood out were all the ways she finessed the familiar. “It’s just a sweater, a skirt, and a good boot,” she said, downplaying the details of a slightly oversize black and navy blue knit slashed with a red stripe, paired with an A-line leather mini. The same was true of the outerwear, with each piece offering a noticeable point of differentiation. Best among them: a chic nylon mantle with the hood splayed over the shoulders; a short-sleeved wool chesterfield with detachable knit arms; a checkered duffle with fringe and leather accents; and a mink bomber with leather sleeves that could be snapped off. Prints were Sonia-fied such that leopard spots and flower buds often took the form of lips, while the house stripe became more animated as zebra patterning—don’t miss the yarn tail! For all the larger volumes and polished utility pants, the decidedly feminine pieces such as a satin-backed crepe skirt held their own. De Libran demonstrated how one version of an all-season crepe de chine dress could be worn with an open tie-front, as well as backward for a more austere neckline, insisting this wasn’t just a styling trick suited to models. Unstructured jackets tucked into trousers for a jumpsuit effect were similarly clever in design, whether they’ll be widely adopted or not.
If the chain detail on the new Olympia bag felt a little too familiar, the updated quilted Copain in velvet, as well as the Flore, a flat, cross-body pouch named after the legendary café across from Rykiel’s HQ, synced with this relaxed yet elevated wardrobe (as for the emblem—a growing trend this season—it represents an internal maison stamp that De Libran uses to authenticate her sketches). When she suggested that “the St. Germain girl is now in all corners of the world,” it was easy to picture the cozy sweaters beyond the typical Parisian terrasse, or the pointy, kitten-heel, striped leather boot maneuvering any city street.
Evening looks trimmed with strass winked to a signature Sonia flourish and will highlight silhouettes of all ages. Alternately, the semi-sheer jacquard dresses with just a touch of sparkle creeping up the hems felt carefree and chic. De Libran hinted that the ivory style will be worn by someone soon enough. Who? Here, she kept her lips sealed.
