Fearlessness Framed

Three women wearing white, flowing Simone Rocha dresses share a tender moment, illuminated by a soft red glow against a rose-colored backdrop. This striking composition by Petra Collins makes up the cover of the designer’s eponymous monograph by Rizzoli. The new book, set to come out in September of this year, offers a window into her breathtaking creations.  

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Edited by Isabella Burley, Simone Rocha is the first comprehensive study of the designer’s creative journey and offers an intimate look at her forward-thinking collections and the inspirations behind them. Images, editorials, runway coverage, and backstage snapshots are framed by insightful commentary and contributions from friends, family, industry insiders, and artists such as Tim Blanks, Cindy Sherman, Ed Templeton, and Collins. The latter previously collaborated with Rocha on a short film capturing her 2020 collection for Moncler Genius. The visually stunning narrative features models wearing floral-heavy, tulle-infused pieces and dancing to Mozart's "Lacrimosa."

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Rocha’s designs cannot be tied to a specific formula, yet a nuanced portrayal of female identity is always at the center. For her most recent Fall/Winter 2024 collection The Wake, Rocha presented a blend of desire and avoidance. Models walked around the historic St. Bartholomew’s Church wearing organza corsets and delicate superstructures, adorned with metallic flowers and beading. Nylon parkas, rompers, and thick-soled oxfords were paired with fine knits, tulle ensembles, and sheer jackets. Rocha’s unique dreamy aesthetic often features clean color palettes and pairs romanticism with experimental fabrics. Over the 14 years since she founded her namesake label, wrapped cellophane and embroidered lace, pearl-shaped handbags, and platform brogues have materialized in tomboyish yet feminine flamboyance.

Emerging from London’s prestigious Central Saint Martins, the designer launched Simone Rocha in 2010 and quickly garnered a devoted following. She soon began collaborating with brands such as Moncler and H&M, and she was named the British Fashion Awards’ 2016 Womenswear Designer of the Year. Recently, Rocha joined Jean Paul Gaultier as guest designer for his Spring 2024 Haute Couture collection. All 36 looks conveyed a delicate equilibrium between Rocha's grungy optimism and Gaultier's appreciation for vintage opulence and unabashed femininity, including nods to corsetry, undone fastenings, exaggerated hips, and puffed-up sleeves.

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Over 288 pages, influences unfold: art, nature, history,  Rocha’s Irish heritage, and personal memories. Combining tulle with technical fabrics in her early years can be traced to French painter Louise Bourgeois’ fabric sculptures that challenged traditional representations of the female body. The designer’s careful balance between contrasting elements echoes that of Commes des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo, known for her avant-garde and thought-provoking silhouettes, as well. This long-anticipated book captures Simone Rocha’s boundless and distinctive storytelling that has been unfolding in fantastical bows and pillowy drapes before our eyes all these years.

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Simone Rocha will be published in September 2024 and is now available to pre-order.