Rykiel the woman : A slim figure dressed in black with fiery locks – this is how the designer is remembered. But Sonia Rykiel shaped the figures of other women, tirelessly seeking a good balance between style and daily life. © AFP

The little jumper : Her first symbolic design was the short, snug-fitting jumper, accentuating the female shape as never before. Its success was sealed when the singer Françoise Hardy, then a young star, wore it on the cover of Elle magazine in 1963. © AFP

Stripes and other must-haves : Multicoloured stripes alternating with black: whether on a knitted dress or a bedspread – the style is recognisable straight away. But the Rykiel style also includes the invention of the trouser suit - with visible stitching but without a hem line. © AFP

Non fashion : The 1977 collection called “non fashion” is Sonia Rykiel's manifesto, a creative and almost philosophical challenge. Women don't need to follow trends - couturiers need to tailor their designs to women's bodies. Sweet revenge for the modern woman. © AFP

Mother and daughter : Nathalie Rykiel, the designer's daughter and herself an inspired stylist, is now responsible for the future of the label. Their relationship even inspired Éliette Abécassis to write a novel called Mère et fille (Albin Michel, 2008). © AFP