Simone Rocha Puts On a Masterclass In Styling at London Fashion Week
Graphic by Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez
At London Fashion Week, Simone Rocha’s Fall Winter 2025 collection brought academic nostalgia and literary references.
Held at the ornate Goldsmiths Hall, where TV shows such as Bridgerton and The Crown were filmed, the show was a star-studded baccanale of perfect contrasts: fur and leather, pearls and chains, diamonds and wool — a continuous feast for the eyes.
The collection, which was prominently inspired by the children’s fable “The Tortoise and The Hare,” deliciously blended moto-style jackets and boots with fairytale-esque silk gowns and traditional English outerwear as seen in navy duffle coats and full-length trenches.
The show featured multiple full-fur and full-leather looks as well as incorporating the two textures in unexpected ways such as a fur-trimmed silk gown and a leather harness on a pink tulle dress.
Fashion icon Alexa Chung modeled a look that incorporated both. Look 16, which Chung wore, included a fur bra and long leather jacket of course, the look was completed with Rocha’s famed accessorizing: simple Mary Janes, a chunky purse, a chain belt and topped off with a lock seemingly off of Pont des Arts.
Another beautifully accessorized look was worn by London cool-girl Kesewa Aboah. Pearl-flower buttons shone against the grey wool coat worn by Aboah, while a chain belt, pearl headband and black loafers provided sophisticated balance to the heavy coat.
Rocha, who added menswear to her repertoire two years ago, delivered some trendy and dapper looks fit for the likes of Andrew Scott or Stephane Bak.
The black double-breasted suit of Look 40 included an intricate pearl encrusted collar with red floral detailing. The red accents were tied in through the silk laces on the schoolboy-style shiny black dress shoes.
Donned by actor Fionn O’Shea, a taupe sweater vest with pearly buttons over a fur belt and black pants, displayed one of the many “creatures” of the collection. O’Shea, along with a handful of other models, carried fur or silk rabbits and other models held small ceramic tortoises.
Fur ball gowns aside, the collection is extremely wearable and several ensembles and accessories are sure to take next fall by storm. The silver Mary Janes from Look 24 seems a contender to challenge Sandy Liang’s Mary Janes for top trendy shoes. The black and white tulle slip dress with grey bedazzled socks of Look 13 are seemingly asking to be worn by Olivia Rodrigo.
Recollections of Rocha’s childhood in 1990s Ireland were present in the khaki shorts and rugby shirts interspersed with nightgown-like flowing pink and blue silken dresses. Cozy olive-green cardigans and fur-lined trench coats would fit swimmingly in Dublin's cool and academic Drumcondra neighborhood.
Perhaps more than ever Simone Rocha is at the top of her game for artful contrast. Despite the collection incorporating many textures, fabrics and accessorizing aspects a divine balance is maintained. A promise for continued excellence was sealed Sunday morning at the Grade I building in London.