SIMONE ROCHA’S MENSWEAR TRIUMPH

Tulle! Lace! Dazzling embellishment! Of course, Simone Rocha’s menswear debut at LFW would come with a new slant on her distinct vision of femininity. The SS23 collection was staged at the Old Bailey, and if the standing ovation with riotous applause from the audience was anything to go by, fashion justice was served. ‘It felt like the right time,’ says Rocha, who showed her first collection in 2010 with talent incubator Fashion East. ‘I was ready to explore the relationship of what menswear can look like alongside women’s pieces.’ Rocha deftly allowed details from both to cross over, exploring tailoring and manipulating shirting through different silhouettes. Signature menswear styles include the ‘volume bomber’ to provide ‘security, softness and sensitivity’, and the ‘utilikilt’, which imbues a sense of practicality into the Simone Rocha fantasy. ‘The collections definitely overlap and people will buy across both,’ she says. ‘I find this quite exciting.’ With more designers presenting co-ed collections, the lines between gendered clothing are becoming increasingly blurred. It’s a new chapter for the Simone Rocha brand, and we are here for it.

Blurring the lines: Simone Rocha SS23