Zaoum. Costume design for the play Le Coeur à Gaz

1921

Returns to Paris for good

Sonia, Robert and Charles returned to Paris permanently (in 1920, by other accounts) and moved into 19 Boulevard Malesherbes; their most acute money troubles were solved by selling Henri Rousseau's “The Snake Charmer” to Jacques Doucet.

1923

Fifty fabric designs for a Lyon manufacturer

Commissioned by a Lyon manufacturer, Sonia created fifty fabric designs in geometric shapes and bold colours; soon after she started her own business, and “simultané” became her registered trademark.

1923

Sets and costumes for Tzara's “The Gas Heart”

For the staging of Tristan Tzara's play “The Gas Heart” Sonia designed the set and costumes.

1924

Opens a fashion studio with Jacques Heim

Together with Jacques Heim Sonia opened a fashion studio; her customers included Nancy Cunard, Gloria Swanson, Lucienne Bogaert and Gabrielle Dorziat. Other accounts say she had opened a fashion studio as early as 1920, on returning to Paris.

1925

“Boutique simultané” at the Decorative Arts Exposition

With Jacques Heim she had a pavilion, the “boutique simultané”, at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes; she also lectured at the Sorbonne on the influence of painting on fashion.