"She rejected linings and embraced exposed seams, defiantly decreeing that the sweater should be worn against the naked skin," according to her website.
In her early 20s, she married a Paris boutique owner. When she couldn't find anything she liked in his shop, she started making her own clothes. Pregnant at the time, she made maternity clothes that she wanted to wear, form-fitting, stylish and comfortable.
Over time, Rykiel built a multimillion-dollar, global brand that remained independent until 2012, when a Hong Kong firm acquired 80 percent of it.
"I can smoke, and I can drink, and I don't really keep fit — I would love to do it more. I don't think I would ever have plastic surgery; there isn't anything I'd want to change. My view is that you have to deal with who you are. It's hard work, in a way, but somebody has to do it."
