Meet Peter Nygård’s Kids: Kai Zen Bickle, Bianca, Jessar, Trey, Scarlet, Åliå, Mika, and Xar Nygård

Peter Nygård, born Pekka Juhani Nygård on July 24, 1941, in Helsinki, Finland, is a Finnish Canadian former fashion executive and the founder of Nygård International, the women’s apparel company he established in 1967.

Now 84, he is known both for his rise from modest beginnings to considerable wealth and for a sprawling personal life that has drawn sustained public attention.

Nygård was raised in a Lutheran household typical of mid-20th-century Finland, where the Evangelical Lutheran Church played a central role in daily life.

His father, Esko Nygård, was a baker, and his mother, Hilkka Nygård, worked as a seamstress. The family emphasized discipline and self-reliance, values that Nygård has often cited as formative in his early years.

In 1952, when he was 11, Nygård emigrated with his parents and younger sister to Canada. They first settled in Deloraine, Manitoba, where they lived in austere conditions, at one point occupying a converted coal bin without electricity or running water.

The family later moved to Winnipeg, where they opened a bakery and began to stabilize financially. Nygård distinguished himself at school both academically and athletically and went on to earn a business degree from the University of North Dakota in 1964.

Standing about 5 feet 11 inches tall, he built a fashion empire through aggressive expansion and branding, turning Nygård International into a global business before its eventual collapse. He was never publicly associated with a long-term marriage, though accounts of past relationships and a possible early divorce have circulated over the years.

Nygård is widely reported to have fathered at least seven to ten children with multiple women, with public sources differing on the precise number. Most accounts cite 10 children born to eight different partners, underscoring a complex, fragmented family life that unfolded alongside his business success.

In recent years, his legacy has been profoundly altered by criminal convictions and legal proceedings. In 2023, he was convicted in Canada on sexual assault charges, and he continues to face civil and criminal cases in the United States related to allegations of sex trafficking. These developments have eclipsed much of his earlier reputation as a self-made fashion magnate.

What remains clear is that Nygård’s life, from immigrant hardship to extraordinary wealth and subsequent legal downfall, reflects a dramatic arc in which personal excess and public reckoning have become inseparable from his professional story.

Kai Zen Bickle

Kai Zen Bickle (formerly known as Kai Nygård) is one of Peter Nygård‘s eldest and most publicly visible children. Born to Nygård and Patricia “Patty” Bickle, he has been outspoken in his support of allegations against his father.

Kai has cooperated with authorities, assisted victims, and publicly praised his father’s conviction, describing him as a “systematic monster” who used his talents for evil.

He changed his last name to Bickle (his mother’s), after distancing himself, renounced any inheritance, and received recognition, such as the Voice of the Voiceless award from CHILD USA, for his efforts.

Bianca Nygård

Bianca Nygård is one of Nygård‘s daughters with Patricia Bickle. She has been involved with the family fashion business and is reported to be married with a daughter of her own.

She resides in the Bahamas and has occasionally been mentioned in connection with the Nygård brands, including one named after her (Bianca Nygård line).

Jessar Nygård

Jessar Nygård is identified as one of Peter Nygård‘s sons. Limited public details are available about his personal life, but reports indicate he has lived in California at times. He is part of the broader group of children from Nygård‘s various relationships.

Trey Nygård

Trey Nygård is the son of Peter Nygård and supermodel Beverly Peele. His mother initially believed Trey was from her marriage, but later confirmed paternity with Nygård.

Trey was kept private for the first five years of his life. Beverly Peele and Trey have discussed family dynamics in interviews, including in connection to lawsuits and allegations surrounding Nygård.

Scarlet Nygård

Scarlet Nygård is one of Nygård‘s daughters. She is reported to live in Toronto with her mother. Details about her life remain relatively private compared to those of some siblings.

Åliå Nygård

Åliå (also spelled Alia or similar variations) Nygård is another daughter from Nygård‘s relationship with Patricia Bickle. She has worked in the family business (Nygård International) and is married to Derek Daneault.

Mika Nygård

Mika Nygård is listed among Peter Nygård‘s sons. Like several siblings, public information about his current activities or personal life is sparse, but he is included in family overviews from various reports.

Xar Nygård

Xar Nygård is described as one of Nygård‘s youngest daughters. She is reported to live with her mother at an undisclosed location. As with some of the other children, she maintains a low public profile.

Note that some sources indicate Nygård has up to ten children with eight women, though not all names are consistently or publicly detailed. The family has been mentioned in legal contexts, including lawsuits involving some sons (not all named here).

Information on the children is drawn from media reports, court documents, and interviews, and may not reflect the full or current family dynamics.