Since Spring/Summer 2022 Simone Rocha has waved good-bye to her sherbet pink frills of the past to design overtly dark and gothic collections. For Autumn/Winter 2022 she was inspired by the Children of Lir, a chilling piece of Irish mythology that tells of a king’s children being turned to swans. The collection is pins wing-like structures unconventionally on the front of the body and crowns signet-like balaclavas with traditional Simone Rocha pearl motifs. Accompanying the show is a poem,
“Two sons and two daughters
A dark lament
Crushed Taffeta wings,
An exploration of outwear and what lies beneath
Blood line and quilted blankets
Bitter sequins, blue velvet”
We discuss the new layers added to her design identity and throwing china dolls down the stairs in the context of her latest AW22 collection.