It was earlier this September, at London
fashion week, when Irish born designer, Simone Rocha took a step in the other
direction. Moving away from the pretty in pink pastels of last season, Rocha
took on a darker, more restrained tone. One steeped in poetic depth and the
subtext of marriage.
It was the veiled models that communicated a sense of
isolation and mourning but battled with the punkish persona of the rough bun
which the models were sporting.
The long line up of monochrome was briefly broken up by a
whisper of mossy green in the form of a tailored leather coat, inspired by a
trip Rocha took to Connemara earlier in the year, and which then provided the
inspiration for this season’s collection.
By beautifully marrying up plastics, leathers, and soft
synthetics to cut through the sweetness of what should be a wedding themed
collection, Rocha created a look, and feel, of something pretty, edgy,
innocent, sexy, and angry, all at the same time.
The dropped waistline and shell top silhouette, together
with the pearl encrusted high necks were also reminiscent of last season’s
collections, where themes of 15th century dress were witnessed from
designers such as McQueen. It is also this which gave the collection a slightly
Couture feel without compromising on wear-ability.
Separates were seen in the form of simply
tailored trouser suits, sheer tops, and coats in a variety of metallic prints,
further enhancing the punkish vibe by subverting ladylike pieces and making
them cool and edgy.
It is this, why her collection was such a success.
By taking a theme, which in another designer’s hands might have
turned out preen and somewhat predictable, Rocha managed to capture our
imaginations and give us something new.
