Sonia Rykiel

We ❤️ Sonia! Sonia Rykiel is one of France’s most notable designers. She began designing clothing in 1961, during her second pregnancy when she just wanted to wear comfortable and flattering clothing. She wanted to show off her bump in style and break from the maternity fashions of the time that, in her view, made women feel shame and that they needed to conceal their pregnancies. This was her launch into the fashion world. Once she designed a figure hugging sweater and skirt set for herself, it became in demand by friends and soon enough her signature “poor boy” sweater was on the cover of Elle magazine!

Her goal was to dress all women - ageless styles that were as fashionable as they were functional, and comfortable as they were classic. She was favoured by actresses like Audrey Hepburn and Catherine Deneuve, as well as the general public. She understood women needed clothing that would carry them through the day.

At a time when women were expected to change clothes from day to night, she designed reversible pieces that could be flipped on the go and voila - a new outfit with no fuss!

She designed culottes to provide the look of skirts while allowing the movement of pants, sweaters that hugged curves, removed darts and exposed the seams on the outside for the first time. She was also the first to put slogans and writing on her clothing, like the words “Amour” and “Mode”. Her knits were fun and playful and made for the working woman; clothes for everyday life.

We are fortunate to have some of her pieces from the 1980s in our rental collection, and a collection of knit t-shirts and sweaters for sale.

https://iandrummondvintage.com/search?q=sonia+rykiel+&options%5Bprefix%5D=last

Celine Vipiana of Celine

Celine was founded by Céline Vipiana and her husband Richard in 1945. It was originally a made-to-measure children’s shoe business and one of the first luxury brands in the industry. It changed its focus in the 1960s to womenswear with a sportswear approach aiming to focus on functionality rather than the frivolity represented by other brands at the time. The trench coat became the chief product of the house. They were known for sophisticated minimalism and a blend between the casual and the extravagant.

As the foundress herself stated to Interview magazine, the Céline fashion was “comfortable and practical. The woman who travels can bring two light things in a suitcase and these things will keep being clean and flawless”.

In 1973, Vipiana introduced a newly designed logo that featured an intertwined double C design, called the Blazon Chaine, with an intricate centre pattern that nodded to the architecture of the Arc de Triomphe.

Vipiana remained as head of house until her death in 1997.

Check out this 80s Celine wool skirt set we have for sale: 

Nina Ricci

Italian born Nina Ricci was a self taught seamstress who began working in fashion at 14. In 1908, when she was 25 years old, she joined House of Raffin in France as a designer with her own workshops, seamstresses and clientele. She stayed there for the next 24 years. She was known for designing clothing for bourgeois French women, but was not known internationally. After Raffin died, her son encouraged her to start her own eponymous label and in 1932 at the age of 49, the house of Nina Ricci was born. Her son handled all of the business and she had full creative control, which she maintained until 1954.

We have a beautiful golden 90s skirt suit in the shop.

Gaby Aghion of Chloé 

Chloé was founded in Paris in 1952 by Egyptian-born Gaby (Hanoka) Aghion.
She and her husband were of a communist persuasion and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Pablo Picasso when they moved to Paris after WWII.

She was joined in business in 1953 by Jacques Lenoir. The brand was named after Aghion’s good friend Chloé Huysmans, who she loved to dress.
They offered luxury ready-to-wear, which was a new concept at the time. Gaby is said to have coined the phrase "prêt-à-porter”. She set up her workshop in a maid's room above her large flat.

Her son had this to say:
“She was shocked by how poorly French women were dressed. On the one hand, you had haute couture, for the very high bourgeoisie, but the majority of people were very badly turned out. She invented luxury ready-to-wear.”

The Anu Museum noted: ‘Much in line with her socialist inclination, she would bring quality fashion to the masses. Her vision was astute: soon the ready-to-wear industry would comprehensively outgrow the ready-to-measure products of the elite.’ 

Chloé showed their first collection over breakfast at Le Café De Flore, one of their favourite cafes and the epicentre of young intellectual Parisians of the 40s and 50s.
According to the Chloé website, Aghion rejected the stiff formality of 1950s fashion and created soft, feminine, body conscious clothes from fine fabrics.

Karl Lagerfeld was the main designer of the brand by 1966 and Chloé went on to become one of the symbolic brands of the 1970s.

Gaby continued to run the business until 1985. She passed away in 2014.

“All I’ve ever wanted was for Chloé to have a happy spirit, to make people happy.” 

*Sonia Rykiel and Nina Ricci segments written by Ainslie Lahey