Mood board: Twice-yearly shows present an intriguing conundrum for designers in these fast moving times. So much can change in the months between a collection going on sale and the next one winging its way to the stockroom. Each is a premonition for what we might need next. Rocha’s feminine vision takes all of the hallmarks – the textures, the colours, the poufy shapes, the pearls and sweetness – and skews it. So pockets are lined with marabou, lapels are layered that extra time, sheer fabrics are thrown on top of outfits, lending a subversive kink. The season ahead has a palette of pure white, pale lavender, shocking Argento red and bright black. Femininity is constructed with humour, elegance. The puff-ball dresses and closing strapless gowns were stuffed with joy.
Scene setting: What better time for a splash of modern-day glamour in these dreary days? Rocha knows what joy is locked in the glint of a metallic textile, the wink of a swinging hem. The Simone Rocha woman is eccentric – she wears flat pointed mules lined with marabou fur, carries a pearl studded handbag and loves flowers and hats and a frill. And as is befitting for a label so well loved for its lavish quirkiness and off-kilter couture-ish kitsch, Rocha invited guests back to Lancaster House mansion in St James, a stand-in for Buckingham Palace in TV and film.
Best in show: The collection took the meaning of Sunday Best and ramped it up into a magical froth of poetical, dreamy clothes. There were suits that put cropped trench coats with matching below the knee skirts. Wallpaper brocade and rich floral tapestries were cut into operatic frock-coats and cheongsam blouses or tailored long shorts. Silk taffeta balloon skirts and giant puffy sleeves extended from tiered, tweaked, scalloped dresses. 18th century paintings of Chinese women were blown up onto the front of dresses, their faces half obscured with a layer of sheer silk.
Simone Rocha S/S 2019.
Simone Rocha S/S 2019.
Simone Rocha S/S 2019.
Simone Rocha S/S 2019.
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Homespun pleasures are the order of the day at this warm Kraków restaurantLocated in the Kazimierz district, Dala Restaurang emerges as a space where homely character meets a love for nature and the simplicity of life
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Gergei Erdei’s furniture collection with Porta Romana is inspired by treasured family heirloomsWorking closely with the British furniture and lighting company, artist and designer Gergei Erdei drew inspiration from his grandmother’s jewellery box to create a furniture collection which has an air of antiqueness
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Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fountainhead will be opened to the public for the first timeThe home, a defining example of the architect’s vision for American design, has been acquired by the Mississippi Museum of Art, which will open it to the public, giving visitors the chance to experience Frank Lloyd Wright’s genius firsthand
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‘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
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‘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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Discover these fashion brands at London Craft WeekDuring London Craft Week, fashion brands including Smythson, Bally and Serapian are hosting events across the capital
