Sonia Rykiel née Flis (French pronunciation: ​[sɔn.ja ʁi.kjɛl]; born 25 May 1930 in Paris) is a French fashion designer. She was born in Neuilly, a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France, the eldest of five daughters of a Russian mother and a Romanian father. Her father was a watchmaker. At the age of 17, she was employed to dress the window displays in a Parisian textile store. In 1953, Sonia married Sam Rykiel, owner of a boutique selling elegant clothing. They had two children but eventually divorced. Rykiel revealed that she has been afflicted with Parkinson's Disease for many years.