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PARIS, France — Who's the Sonia Rykiel girl in three words? Fun, flirty and frivolous would probably fit the bill. Julie De Libran's take on her Spring/Summer 2018 collection was very pretty and pretty sexy too! Re-imagining the tired conceit of the Left Bank girl is no mean feat. Who is she in 2017? Does she still exist? So transporting her to the closest seaside retreat was a welcome thematic escape here. Deauville, Biarritz, or St. Tropez perhaps? Either way, De Libran's carefree take on vintage French coastal wear made pleasant waves today — from picnic table gingham shorts suits to barely-there knitted sundresses, dripping with tiny clamshells.
There was an undeniable canon of Rykiel tropes at play here that a certain woman will know and love: striped kaftans for strolling and giant sequins for dancing; or cool, sandy tweed cut raw into bra tops and matching minis. These held a welcome craftiness that floaty satin numbers lacked (they joined a questionable styling trick of blazers and bikinis). The show's best were those that were the simplest: a drop waist, checkered knit dress was a knockout and its scalloped navy sister felt unfussy and fresh.
