Simone Rocha looked underwater for inspiration for fall. She sprinkled elements of sea life throughout the collection, but in classic Rocha style, nothing felt literal or too straight-forward.
There were earrings that resembled shark teeth, heavily knotted deconstructed knits that brought ropes to mind and pearl-encrusted net bags to mirror “sailors’ nets catching pearls.”
Rocha did not stop there — she also brought in ideas of baptism clothes in the floral-embroidered borders on her crisp cotton shirt dresses and elsewhere added a tougher, more punk edge via the big red heart appliqués she added to tulle skirts. She melded it all with her own distinct vocabulary: tulle dresses, puff shoulders, bows and glitter galore that fit right into the grand setting of the neo-classical Mayfair mansion Lancaster House, where the show was staged across multiple rooms.
New and old references came together to create a charming mash-up of materials, colors and textures that was true to the brand’s signature style. But Rocha also offered plenty of new ideas to take in: She added a bigger dose of tailoring and made it hers by splicing blazers and adding tulle or regal satin drapes on the shoulders, as well as more graphic, playful prints featuring anchors or painterly roses.
There was no shortage of ideas here but as disparate as they were, Rocha brought them all into her quirky, feminine universe to create a dreamy, otherworldly look.