The melange of references spotted in Simone Rocha’s AW26 show includes Tír na nÓg, the sisters of WB Yeats, Ulysses and Perry Ogden’s Pony Kids …
To say that a Simone Rocha collection references heritage is an understatement: since launching her eponymous fashion label in 2010 Rocha has paid tribute to her native Ireland by giving the wider fashion landscape a snapshot of indigenous traditions – via reimagined communion dresses and references to the Wren Boys – and paying homage to mythical Irish legends like the story of the Children of Lír. Her recent show at London Fashion Week doubles down as one of the most Ireland-centric to date.
For AW26, the runway collection was divided into three parts: Tír na nÓg, Pony Kids and Weird Sisters. For Tír na nÓg – the Celtic legend, translated as ‘land of the young’ – Rocha drew particular inspiration from an oil-on-canvas of the same name painted by Jack Butler Yeats in 1936. In terms of fashion, Rocha aligned the search for eternal youth with the idea of immortality in clothing. Shearlings were contrasted with sheer fabrics and tapestry florals, as well as rosette detailing. The show notes explain futher: “The show opens with a white pony, a mythological steed, sublimated to a white dress, of embroidered laces, some recycled, like recollections of collections past, itself a piece of histories. The show chases her tale. Rose tapestries and tweed tailoring seem to carry an imagined past with them, silhouettes recollect the 1920s or 1940s.”
It’s not surprising that Rocha would reference Pony Kids, the seminal book by Britain-born, Dublin-based photographer Perry Ogden. Rocha and Ogden were in conversation at IMMA last May which offered a fascinating insight into the creative minds of both parties, who continue to cross-pollinate. Ogden’s book – originally released in 1999, depicted Traveller and settled adolescent boys selling horses at the Smithfield Market in Dublin – has long been a source of inspiration for Rocha, while Ogden walked as a model in Rocha’s AW23 fashion show.
Lastly, Weird Sisters, the finale segment of the show, could at a superficial glance be a reference to Bad Sisters – Sharon Horgan’s series which dominated TV screens – however its roots run far deeper. Weird Sisters is a reference to Susan and Elizabeth Yeats, the feminist sisters of William Butler and Jack Butler Yeats who are often overlooked in the pantheon of Irish culture. The nickname arose in James Joyce’s Ulysses, a scathing reference in the book’s first chapter uttered by Buck Mulligan, who mocks the sisters’ printing business, The Cuala Press, which championed works by leading Irish writers Lady Gregory, J.M. Synge and Elizabeth Bowen. Rocha describes them as “ground-breaking figures in the Irish cultural scene, particularly the Arts and Crafts movement, their influence nods to a meeting-place of woman and nature, and a constant sensibility of the hand”. The fashion that reflected these industrious women? Silk taffeta ribbon gowns, a play on a bridal look; lace that has been pierced and pieced back together for a ‘make do and mend’ aesthetic.
Speaking of the ongoing love-letter to Ireland in her work, Rocha is effusive. “For some of my collections I end up researching very close to home. When you’re looking into a subject if you feel a personal connection to it you can pull a lot more out of it, so over the years some have been more specific like folklore stories of the Children of Lír or … Lughnasa. Because I was using womenswear and menswear I was looking at the relationships and these kind of old courting traditions and how that could then influence the fabrication or the textiles. So really it’s just about an exploration and how that can translate into the clothes. Being Irish it just feels very natural to look to home,” she told THE GLOSS.
The show also introduced a new collaboration between Rocha and Adidas Originals, referred to by the brand as “significant”, which spans clothing, accessories, footwear and, notably, jewellery. The hyper-feminine interpretation of archetypal sportswear, laden with Rocha’s trademark edgy froth, undoubtedly has viral potential. We noted a traditional three-stripe track top which has been given special treatment with a Simone Rocha logo and boasts a tear-drop pearl on the zipper. Sneaker heads will gravitate towards the novelty of the backless trainers which feature pearl embellishment and ribbon laces.
All imagery: Simone Rocha AW26, photography by Ben Broomfield.
We may earn a commission if you buy through affiliate links on our site.
READ MORE: New York Fashion Week: The Trends That Matter On And Off The Runway
