September 21, 2026 |
Simone Rocha wanted to break out of a narrative driven approach and do something instinctive. The designer was thinking about “feminine kinks, insecurities and intimacies”, and talked about throwing together pieces that you love, for a look that feels personal and idiosyncratic. Rocha was inspired by her men’s show she presented at Pitti Uomo and the sense of reality that’s always present in men’s clothing.
Quirk trumped perfection. It was reflected in the styling. An oversized man’s shirt with a voluminous taffeta skirt. A beloved slouchy grey knit with a glamorous bias skirt. Negligees peeled down, in déshabillé. A jacket scooped deep at the front, a corsage of rosettes around the hips.
The one piece of narrative she did allow, was of a long-lost Caravaggio, The Taking of Christ, which was found hanging in the dining room of a Jesuit house in Dublin in 1990 and now resided in Ireland’s National Gallery. From that came ravishing hoods ballooning silhouettes and operatic capes. There was a gorgeous grandeur of silhouette which Rocha doubled down on with her use of rich silks, satins and sparkling crystal embroideries. Her women can look like beautiful dolls, here they looked sophisticated and womanly.
Photography by Christina Fragkou.
