Pearls dance around an open heart, as fine lace adorns the neckline and swans swim free in embroidery. This is the romantic universe of Simone Rocha and it is one in which Irish fairy tales inform fashion collections and a constellation of craftsmanship is stitched into the very fibre of the clothes.

Speaking with Simone Rocha ahead of London Fashion Week, the designer elaborates on her narrative influences, fashion in movement, and the ongoing dialogue between art and design. 

Meanwhile, photographer Catharina Pavitschitz captures the designer’s signature style of subversive femininity for JANE PRIVÉE in London.

Rosie Dalton: Hi Simone! Could you begin by telling us about your autumn/winter 2022 collection?
Simone Rocha: The AW22 collection was inspired by the Irish folklore Children of Lir. The story centres around four children who are turned into swans for 400 hundred years by their evil stepmother. 

The darkness and innocence heavily inspired the fabrications and silhouettes in the collection. 

There is a beautiful sense of narrative behind each of your collections actually. What is your creative process like, in developing these?
At the beginning of the season, I will have a few sources of inspiration and references that I share with my design team and it grows from there. It is amazing to see how the different avenues of research can develop. It is a very organic process with lots of visuals and physical references coming together.

Does the narrative concept usually precede the clothing, or does this process unfold in tandem?
The collection evolves as it develops, so in a way the narrative informs the clothing and vice versa.

Dance is a such beautiful art form, in which narrative also takes on a visual interpretation. Can you tell us about some of the costumes that you have created, like for Siren by Jess Kohl?
I have always enjoyed watching dance and movement, so it is very interesting to see how the collections can respond to this. It is such an interesting scenario to consider when designing or dressing a dancer—how they will feel and move in the pieces. Francesca Hayward is an amazing dancer who we have worked with a few times, so it was a real pleasure to dress her for Siren.

We also worked with a group of dancers called Clod Ensemble for one of our collections with Moncler. It was amazing to see the emotions and drama that they are able to create with movement. It was truly inspiring to see the collection in this way. 

left: ivory silk organza short sleeve beaded open heart back midi dress with embroidery SIMONE ROCHA
right: pearl and crystal chunky twisted necklace SIMONE ROCHA

Fashion and fine art have long been intrinsically linked throughout history. What is your philosophy on the interplay between the two?
I have always found art to be a source of inspiration. The creativity between artists and designers definitely overlaps, which is why the two have always been linked. Artists and designers both expose themselves with their creativity and by putting their all into their work, both physically and emotionally.

And how would you say that Simone Rocha fosters an ongoing dialogue between art and fashion?
We work with a series of photographers and filmmakers on content and printed matter as a way of documenting the collections, but also to show the work from different viewpoints. We have collaborated with the Louise Bourgeois Easton Foundation in a few ways—having pieces in our New York store, featuring prints on Louise’s textile work in our AW19 collection and creating jewellery inspired by her figurative sculptures. Bourgeois’ work is a constant source of inspiration to me, since my degree in Dublin, so it is an incredible opportunity to react and collaborate with her work.

Can you tell us a bit about the girls girls girls show that you recently curated?
girls girls girls is a group show at Lismore Castle Arts in Lismore, County Waterford, Ireland. This was an amazing opportunity to collate and work with some of my favourite female artists and bring them together in an amazing setting. The idea was to curate an exhibition that would look at the female gaze from multiple viewpoints, celebrating a diverse range of approaches in an exhibition centred on female practices. The exhibition draws a thread from celebrated artists such as Cindy Sherman and Roni Horn, to a younger generation of artists including Sophie Barber, Elene Chantladze, Luo Yang, and Genieve Figgis. It is running until October 2022. 

Your clothing and accessories are like art in themselves, too. Why do you think it is important to preserve this approach to fashion, in the face of so much speed and mass production today?
We have always done a lot of hand-work in the collections. This stems from my team in the studio and developing the initial samples in house. Being able to explore these traditional techniques—like crochet, embroidery, hand-embellishment, but see them in new ways or contrasted with modern fabrications and silhouettes has always been a focus [for me] in the collections.

Impeccable craftsmanship is so synonymous with the Simone Rocha brand. Could you run us through what is involved in bringing your pieces to life?
Being able to create something that will last in both a timeless design way as well as physically has always been very important to me. We make the samples in our studio in London, then work closely with our factories to produce the collection. We do a lot of fittings both on models and on ourselves to ensure wearability is always considered and achieved alongside the design development.

Where do you source the seeds of inspiration for your designs—does this tend to stem from your personal life and surroundings, from the field of art history, or otherwise?
I am constantly inspired by my family and people around me. My own heritage— Ireland and Hong Kong also provide sources of inspiration, alongside art and nature.  

And what are you focusing on for the future?
The next show!

…

photographer catharina pavitschitz,
eighteen management

Pentax SP1000

London, UK
17 August 2022

left: black satin pearl and crystal-beaded pointy Chantilly platform Mary Jane trackers SIMONE ROCHA
right: cream fine nylon overlay peplum top with ivory turbo pearl and crystal-embellished gloves SIMONE ROCHA

ivory with black embroidered wool tulle tutu skirt with elasticated waistband, cream jacquard swan motif calf length socks, ivory ankle clear crystal drip embellished socks, black satin pearl and crystal-beaded pointy Chantilly platform Mary Jane trackers SIMONE ROCHA

left: ivory silk organza short sleeve beaded open heart back midi dress with embroidery SIMONE ROCHA
right: cream cotton drill cargo trousers SIMONE ROCHA