London Fashion Week: Simone Rocha
A little like PPQ, the Simone Rocha show had a feeling of customisation. The wonky hemlines, hacked tulle and haphazard layers took me right back to an infinitely better version of my own teenage dressmaking endeavors. Unlike my own experiences, this chopping and changing had resulted in something really rather stunning. Not that I’m surprised – this is Simone Rocha after all.
Velvet made a reappearance (it’s been popping up all over the shop), as did brocade in the form of asymmetric mini dresses and wide, ankle-skimming trousers. Not one for those who suffer with chilly ankles.
Nude and black pop socks adorned each and every foot– a tricky look to pull off with bare legs of normal, everyday proportions. Together with patent T-bars (Orla Kieley x Clarks style) which have been making a comeback on many a catwalk. Obviously a brogue popped up (Rocha melts if she doesn’t include a brogue) in various fabrics – gingham and nude patent included.
Sheer length paired with intricate top half embellishment and a single or double choker of giant pearls was a recurring theme – definitely one we’ll be seeing on the high street.
An element of human hair snuck in with a subtle ‘hairy handbag’ quickly morphing into a not-so-subtle floral dress with full-on blond tresses attached in strategic areas. We’ve all seen the whole human hair thing before but this was a particularly creepy rendering of it.
Things quickly took a turn for the Scottish with plaid, ceremonial style capes with matching gingham brogues and a smattering of human hair (obvs).
A standout fabric for me was nude, sheer chiffon with floral embellishment and simple shapes stuck on in a pleasingly childlike manner – clouds and flowers snipped out with scissors and glued on to the fabric. Cutting and sticking. A good note on which to end perhaps, for a collection with teenage DIY at its heart.
London Fashion Week AW15 took place from Friday 20 to Tuesday 24 February.