Simone Rocha A/W 2014
The Irish designer shot a rebellious streak into her Elizabethan-inspired collection
This season, recent Wallpaper* Design Award winner Simone Rocha shot a rebellious streak into her Elizabethan-inspired collection, once again uniting her unique blend of contemporary cool with stealth-luxe sophistication. On the runway at the Tate Modern, meticulously finished bonded wool coats with engorged ruffled sleeves were finished with encrusted amber beads. These clusters were then extended to the scooping necklines of full-skirted black wool dresses. On one, the tightly beaded clusters continued down to the top of the dress' ruffled skirt, marking out where the era's corset traditionally ended, and would also go on to jewel fawn-hued fur. The thing about Rocha is that she does edgy elegantly, whether it be A/W's black pony skin skirt suits, a bomber of yellow snakeskin - which also covered pointed slippers, lace-up boots and her updated brogue - or gold embellished tartan. One look had ruffles protruding from a tube top, fusing Rocha's innocent schoolgirl and punk anarchist aesthetics. And, as usual, her fabrics were impeccable. A grown-up red mini-crini dress, cut from latticed brushed wool and tulle, was spliced in the middle, with a flash of skin smartly restoring the designer's youth appeal. Her signature high-tech metallic finish was also in the mix, drawn into 'The Tudors' theme by brushing up against a plush fur gilet. Just as many of her queenly models wore a beaded tiara on top of their braided de-wigged hair.
Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Is the Calibri typeface 'woke'? We asked its designer'It's more a compliment than something bad for me,’ says the Dutch type designer Lucas de Groot
-
The Wallpaper* Design Awards are back in 2026 – see who's shortlistedOur annual design awards returns in January – here are the first shortlisted nominees
-
RIBA House of the Year 2025 is a ‘rare mixture of sensitivity and boldness’Topping the list of seven shortlisted homes, Izat Arundell’s Hebridean self-build – named Caochan na Creige – is announced as the RIBA House of the Year 2025
-
‘Architect of glamour’ Antony Price makes a high-voltage return to the runway with 16ArlingtonFeaturing a runway debut from Lily Allen, the show saw legendary designer Antony Price – best known for outfitting Roxy Music in the 1980s – unite with 16Arlington’s Marco Capaldo on the sensual after-dark collection
-
‘Dirty Looks’ at the Barbican explores how fashion designers have found beauty in dirt and decayFrom garments buried in River Thames mud to those torn, creased and stained, ‘Dirty Looks’ is a testament to how ‘creativity and new artistic practices can come out of decay’, its curators tell Dal Chodha
-
Tyler Mitchell’s London show explores the figure of the Black Dandy, ‘imagining what else masculinity could look like’Originally part of a visual essay to accompany the Met’s ‘Superfine’ 2025 Costume Institute exhibition, ‘Portrait of the Modern Dandy’ goes on display at Gagosian Burlington Arcade in London this week
-
Inside Louis Vuitton’s Murakami London pop-up, a colourful cartoon wonderland with one-of-a-kind caféWallpaper* takes a tour of the Louis Vuitton x Murakami pop-up in London’s Soho, which celebrates the launch of a new ‘re-edition’ accessories collection spanning the greatest hits from the Japanese artist’s long-running collaboration with the house
-
Get to know Issey Miyake’s innovative A-POC ABLE line as it arrives in the UKAs A-POC ABLE Issey Miyake launches in London this week, designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae gives Wallpaper* the lowdown on the experimental Issey Miyake offshoot
-
Margaret Howell London Fashion Week Women's S/S 2019 -
London Fashion Week S/S 2023: Ahluwalia to Martine RoseThough slimmed-down, London Fashion Week nonetheless provided the moments of creative expression the city is known for – from Ahluwalia’s ode to Africa to Martine Rose’s much-anticipated runway return
-
Discover these fashion brands at London Craft WeekDuring London Craft Week, fashion brands including Smythson, Bally and Serapian are hosting events across the capital