Simone Rocha presented her Spring/Summer 2027 womenswear collection at the Old Bailey during London Fashion Week, introducing romantic elements to the historic venue. The collection featured floral motifs, sheer fabrics, and sculptural dresses alongside leather, outerwear, and exposed underwear.
Rocha drew inspiration from Caravaggio's famous painting The Taking of Christ and took a more focused approach than her previous collections. 'I want it to be a very pure show, very focused, and for each character to look like the best version of themselves,' she said.
'I was less focused on narrative, because sometimes I can get bogged down in story.'
Finding Beauty in the Unexpected
The painting, believed lost for centuries, was rediscovered in Dublin in 1990, where it had been misidentified and displayed in a Jesuit community house dining room. After authentication, it was loaned indefinitely to the National Gallery of Ireland.
Rocha focused on the contrast between the painting's beauty and the unexpected place where it was found. This concept runs through the collection, where familiar wardrobe pieces are reimagined with romantic details.
Rose embellishments appeared on a scarlet Harrington jacket, while the collection also featured anoraks, bombers and leather outerwear.
Roses and Romance
Roses were a central motif, featured on necklines, leather jackets, and functional outerwear.
A scarlet Harrington jacket featured flower embellishments, and other everyday pieces incorporated intricate floral details.
The collection also contrasted fabrics, using velvet, silk organza, tulle, leather, gabardine, and taffeta.
Caravaggio's influence appeared in deep reds, black, and petrol blue, balanced by softer tones such as lilac, khaki, and cream.
Rocha reinterpreted familiar silhouettes such as slip dresses, baby-doll dresses, ballgowns, and bombers by altering their proportions and styling.
A lavender men's shirt was layered over a ballgown skirt, while sheer dresses were paired with visible argyle underwear and tailored trousers.
A More Vulnerable Collection
This collection exposed more of the body than Rocha's usual layered designs.
Loose silk organza dresses were paired with open leather jackets, while delicate dresses were styled over visible underwear and trousers. Cocoon-like taffeta structures wrapped the body and head, while other looks left underwear and skin visible.
Full-skirted taffeta dresses threaded with superfine metallic wire allowed the wearer to shape and sculpt each piece. Rocha described her typical layering as protective and aimed for Spring 2027 to show greater vulnerability.
'Sometimes I can be very layered, and I place clothes on top of clothes–it's a protective thing,' she said. 'I wanted this to be more vulnerable. I wanted them all to be very touched and pushed.'
The interplay between protection and exposure became a defining element of the collection.
A Floral Touch on the Face
The collection's floral theme extended to the makeup, bringing the flower motifs from the garments to the face.
Makeup artist Thomas de Kluyver applied small beaded flowers to the models' eyebrows, matching the hand-rolled roses in the designs.
The remaining makeup was understated, featuring fresh skin, subtle eye shimmer, and red lips.
The collection balanced romance with practicality and exposed skin. It let subtle details and quiet beauty hidden within each look stand out.
