By Marcellous L. Jones
Photos by Thomas Floyd

December 8, 2009

Paris, France – It had to happen. After the special over-the-top 40 th year anniversary show organized last year to celebrate the founding of the house of Sonia Rykiel, the Grand Palais would be next to fall to the whimsical charms of the Rykiel fashion dynasty. It seemed that before only Chanel had the imagination, the creativity and the energy to pull off such a feat as this. But on this night, Sonia Rykiel would prove to be a worthy rival.

With the figures for the elaborate, decadent soirée estimated between four million six million Euros, the Sonia Rykiel line for H&M launch party brought out some of the most important players in the international fashion industry. All was set to not only promote the unique collaboration between the house of Sonia Rykiel and the Swedish department store chain H&M, but also to celebrate she known as the “queen of knits” and she who continues still today to rewrite to the story of W-O-M-E-N.

Lingerie and knitwear clad mannequins danced and flounced about the palace with all of the provocative airs and charms known only to the Saint Germain des Près women best represented by Sonia Rykiel. They rode in on bicycles, swung on chandeliers, flew on trapezes and sauntered about the huge palace.

No matter the cost, this launch party has to be considered as the Fab & Jetset Moment of the Year. Many celebrities and admirers of Sonia Rykiel attended the party including grand couturier Jean-Paul Gaultier, designer Barbara Bui, singer Micky Green, supermodels Nadja Auermann and Eva Herzigova, actress Lou Doillon and photographer Ellen von Unwerth.

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