PARIS — Speaking of ’68, the Summer of Love also lays claim to the origins of the late Sonia Rykiel’s signature label, founded in May of that year in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. A half century later Sunday night at École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, in the heart of the 6th arrondissement, the house celebrated the occasion with festive runway show for Julie de Libran’s Fall / Winter 2018 collection. This was no sombre affair, however, Rykiel after all started her label in tribute to the free spirit of Parisian women, it was a right proper party in which models jaunted down the runway smiling, paper streamers exploded over the runway at various intervals, and Bananarama performed three classics before a sea of adoring show goers. Readers of a certain age will have known all the words to the songs, including the 1984 hit “Cruel Summer,” which went the distance to bringing down the house of this standing room only crowd. As for the collection, this was an ode to the 1980s, an era to which the house’s artistic director has great affinity. Hair was blown out, lips were painted red, and inhibitions were greatly abandoned. On the night, seven girls from across the Next global network featured in the lineup including Grace Elizabeth, Grace Hartzel, Lili Sumner, Marjan Jonkman, Nandy Nicodème, Anna Cleveland, and Lineisy Montero. What a night!
Credits include: Client, Sonia Rykiel; Collection, Women’s Ready-To-Wear Fall / Winter 2018; Creative direction, Julie de Libran; Styling, Francesca Burns; Hair, Paul Hanlon; Makeup, Diane Kendal; Casting, Adam Hindle; Video, Damien Neva.
