Simone Rocha SS25

Simone Rocha's Spring/Summer 2025 collection took the audience on a journey into a dreamy and introspective world. The collection drew inspiration from ballet dancers during their quiet moments - the in-between times of rehearsals, performances, and solitary reflections. It marked a significant change for Rocha, as she moved away from her usual flowing silhouettes to create more intimate, layered pieces that embraced subtlety while still maintaining her unmistakable romantic aesthetic.

The collection explored what Rocha described as "a more intimate, interesting, and playful" style. This new approach involved moving away from her usual extreme volumes and delving into what's beneath the surface. "When I’m designing, I can end up finding security in the fabric and creating extreme volumes and proportions. Now I’ve been thinking, ‘What is underneath? If you crack that open, what’s inside?’” she explained.

The ballet influence was obvious in the collection, with tutus adding volume in softer, more ethereal ways. The outfits were paired with long, slashed coats that tied at the back, sheer dresses, and taffeta tops. Delicate carnations, inspired by Pina Bausch’s famous work, Nelken, were a prominent motif in the collection. The blooms were creatively integrated into the designs, being stuffed into bodices of diaphanous dresses, pinned to jackets, and sparkling on the collars of oversized shirtdresses.

Rocha's color palette reflected the eerie, captivating allure of uncommon swans, with a spectrum of colors from subdued pinks to intense blood reds and blacks. The gentle layering of knits and fabrics in these tones fostered a feeling of coziness and closeness, as though the dancers were enveloping themselves while journeying to or from the studio. The garments radiated a soft sorrow, encapsulating both the weariness and elegance inherent in the life of a ballerina.

The collection also embraced simplicity, featuring items such as a long silk dress draped in a hue reminiscent of tea stains, a pink satin anorak, and delicate underwear and tights in café au lait tones. These understated ensembles were abundant in texture and sentiment, presenting a novel form of luxury that favored introspection over theatrics.

As Rocha scaled back her signature voluminous designs, she welcomed a new audience that might have anticipated this more polished and understated progression of her brand. While her faithful followers may need time to adjust, this change also offers a chance to explore a more profound aspect of Rocha's design philosophy—a focus on the internal essence rather than just outward splendor.

Images: fashionnetwork.com