September 22, 2025 |
Simone Rocha had performative femininity on her mind. Inspired by an essay about a young girl forced to wear her mother’s finery, Rocha channeled the idea of disgruntled debutantes railing against being put on display. Other designers might have struggled with the tension at the heart of that scenario, but Rocha’s always brought an edge to the ravishing prettiness of her signature femininity. Rocha’s design language is clear but there is nothing complacent about her approach.
“I wanted to push and pull them” she said of her design codes. The crinolines that you might expect to be hidden beneath a skirt were exposed and worn with little sequin bra tops. Those wired crinolines also turned up on surprising garments, such as the red cagoule dress which came with a grand hooped skirt.
There’s always a twist to Rocha’s prettiness – it’s what gives her work its punch. The clear plastic coats worn over eiderdown skirt suits and languorous silk slip dresses brought to mind gift wrapping, and were, said the designer, inspired by the cellophane wrapping for floral bouquets. “It’s the idea of something very real being suffocated by something fake.“ Bustles, twin set cardigans, silk corsages all featured but the designer treated this feminine finery with what she called an “ironic elegance”. She added sportswear elements to evening grandeur with hooped chiffon skirts that came with sporty drawstrings and tied jumpers round the waists of chiffon gowns – moody schoolgirl style.
Speaking of flowers, coats and jackets were decorated with a single fresh cut lily worn like a lavish buttonhole. And as always rocha used the same feminine fabrications, sequins, crystals, plastic and satin for her menswear.
Rocha creates a total world with accessories as magical as the clothes. Models strode out on chunky, hospital-white Mary Jane’s or crystal trimmed clear plastic mules. Many clutched satin ‘pillow’ bags whilst dripping in crystal head-dresses, corsages and rings. Irony never looked so good.
Photography courtesy of Simone Rocha.
