Simone Rocha Fall Winter 2023-24 Fashion Show

Simone Rocha, the esteemed fashion designer known for her unique and poetic designs, showcased her latest collection at the blood-red carpeted Westminster's Central Methodist Hall during the Lughnasadh (or Lughnasa), the Irish harvest festival with pagan origins. Rocha drew inspiration from the rituals of relationships and the idea of harvest, offering thanks for summer's bounty and creating a moment for communities to come together.

One notable aspect of Rocha's latest collection was the inclusion of menswear, which she introduced in her previous season's catalog. Rocha expressed her desire to continue showing women and men together and how they correspond, which has been well-received at retail with both men and women buying her menswear pieces.

The fashion show commenced with models walking around the hall's first level circle before descending the ornate central staircase, accompanied by a brooding and Celtic-sounding composition played by a group of musicians on stage. Rocha's designs started with a three-part sunrise of all-gold womenswear looks in cloque fabric that mimicked the texture of matured wheat-seed, featuring her signature bounteous silhouettes with full arms and skirts. Darker looks, including a menswear ensemble with a classically cut black car coat in cloque over nappa pants, were also showcased. Notably, Rocha's leather offerings were limited in this collection, with only a few leather pieces included.

As the show progressed, the tempo of the soundtrack gathered melodic urgency, and Rocha's designs became more poetic and symbolic. Red ribbons adorned the hair, garments, and eyes of certain models, representing blood traditionally daubed on children's faces to ward off ill spirits and bad luck. Raffia, a highly flammable material, was stuffed into and supported intricately felt-embroidered lace gowns, reminiscent of rural crinolines and hay bales. These designs carried a rich tension between the primness of the silhouette and the disordered suggestion of their fabrication, creating a captivating contrast.

Rocha also played with the concept of lust, love, and ritual in her designs, as seen in slip dresses, underpinnings, and a bungee tank top for men that emphasized the bodies within. The show culminated with two all-raffia totemic dresses, further exemplifying Rocha's unique perspective on fashion and her ability to infuse symbolic elements into her designs.

Notably, Rocha's menswear pieces were a highlight of the collection, breaking the gendered barriers and intermingling with womenswear in fascinating ways. Sailor collars, peacoats with bomber arms, and "puddle" trousers evoked naval/maritime motifs, while workwear and Sunday-best formal elements were cut-and-pasted and muddied with the insertion of lace. Rocha's time working with Moncler also influenced the technicality of her garments, as seen in subtle details such as crossed nylon webbing on jacket arms and the bungee tank top.

The collection was further enriched with standing stone graphics and new plays on Rocha's logo by a group of friend creatives, adding extra texture to an already visually captivating show. Rocha's ability to seamlessly blend elements of tradition, symbolism, and contemporary design was evident in her Fall/Winter 2023-2024 collection, leaving audiences in awe of her forward expansion of her design language and her unique perspective on fashion.