French designer, Sonia Rykiel has died at age 86. Sonia, who was famous for her colourful knitwear designs, revealed that she has been suffering from Parkinson's disease for 15 years.


Born in Paris on May 25, 1930, Rykiel became an established name on the Paris fashion scene, when her eponymous first store opened in 1968 on Paris's Left Bank.

Her early clients included Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve and Audrey Hepburn. In 2009, she was awarded The Order of Légion d'Honneur in recognition of her 40 years of service in the French fashion industry.