The French designer Sonia Rykiel has passed away, as confirmed by her daughter Nathalie today. The designer was 86 years old, and in 2012 it was revealed that she had been having a long-standing battle with Parkinson's disease.

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Sonia Rykiel

Revered for her bright knits, Sonia Rykiel has been one of the most adored Parisian houses by industry insiders and A-listers alike, with her early clients including Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, and Catherine Deneuve.

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Sonia Rykiel

And while Rykiel stepped down as the creative director of the house, passing over the baton to ex Prada and Louis Vuitton designer Julie de Libran, Rykiel had remained extremely close to her eponymous label through the years.

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Sonia Rykiel

From: ELLE UK