THE show notes for Simone Rocha’s collection this morning weren’t too dissimilar to a poem: “Fidelity and fragility, nude mesh tipped with fluff”, “Mad flower, red flowers”. But they were to the point – much like the aesthetic this designer has managed to coin in her reasonably short career so far. She’s found her groove and it works.
And she built on that today through more medieval-esque silhouettes, all bodices and bustle skirts for modern prom frocks, and edged them in that said fluff – it was the cute variety though, like you might find on the end of a pen, Clueless-style. Later, splaying skirts seemed to take on angelic wings, such was the way the feather detail was cast.
And she kept it sweet throughout – despite opening with all black looks. Headscarf veils covered in those mad red flowers, and later sheer shifts that provided a canvas for many a crochet bloom, scalloped edge or slice of bright white brocade like wedding cake icing.
She cleverly took macs and made them ready for anything but outdoors – rendered in pink, soft and fluid layers so that suddenly they were now only dresses, a ghost of their coat past.
Her last line of fashion poetry ideally summed it up: “The fleeting time of youth, beauty and love.” Translation? A young and romantic collection