Simone Rocha chose Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales where Moll Flanders is tried for theft in the classic novel by Daniel Defoe, and where Charles Darnay is put on trial for treason in “A Tale of Two Cities” to set the stage for her Spring/Summer 2023 collection, which focused on the drama and Rocha’s signature statement dressing.
“This collection was very much a reaction to the last few years”, Rocha explained in the show’s notes. “It was very much harnessing an emotion that felt like this kind of powerful, feminine statement”. That emotion was palpable in the mix of utilitarian elements like bomber jackets, harnessing, statement zippers, and parachute detailing with lashings of tulle, delicate floral prints, voluminous puff skirts, deconstructed corsetry, and soft lace veils.
This season the designer also presented her first fully-formed menswear collection.
“I’m really proud to [deliver] menswear, I felt like I could work on this beautiful masculinity. It’s justification for everything I’ve done in the last ten years, what that role plays and how it crosses over between the two – and I really wanted to explore that within masculinity”, Simone Rocha said to Hypebeast.
©Simone Rocha
