Simone Rocha is swiftly cementing her place as a key fixture in the London Fashion Week line-up. Now, 15 years since the inception of her eponymous brand, her collections are imbued with a growing sense of personal connection and emotional resonance, often offering glimpses into different chapters of her life. A standout moment from past seasons was her captivating nod to Lughnasadh, the Irish harvest festival, which she wove into the Autumn/Winter '23 collection, drawing us into the rich folklore of Ireland. This season, Rocha revisits her teenage years, with the Autumn/Winter 2025 collection taking inspiration from her Dublin school days and the timeless fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare."
Using crisp collars, pleated skirts, and structured outerwear as nods to the uniforms of her school days, Simone Rocha subverts these traditional features in her signature style, adding exaggerated volume and intricate embellishments. She creates characters that reflect figures from her teenage years, playing on familiar tropes—figures of authority, whispers of rebellion, and sweet innocence—embodied across the 56-look collection. Each look carries a sense of nostalgia—not only for Rocha’s school days but also for the earlier works that defined her brand. Throughout our LFW coverage, evolution has emerged as a key theme in the collections we’ve reviewed, and Rocha’s newest offering remains true to this thread.
Outerwear plays a pivotal role in this collection, making up a significant portion of the looks, so let’s start there. Leather, a recurring fabric choice this season, feels entirely fitting for Rocha’s rebellious yet romantic approach. It carries the spirit of defiance long associated with punk culture, but here, Rocha reinterprets it through her unique lens, blending toughness with elegance. Alexa Chung showcased the most incredible oversized leather trench coat, capturing Rocha’s signature balance of structure and texture, yet offering a softness through the oversized silhouette. The reimagining of leather jackets throughout the collection is particularly exciting—playing with varying lengths, fits, and volumes, each one feels fresh and unique. Personally, I love Look 25—the dropped shoulders and collarless style of the leather jacket are a standout addition.
(Photo: Umberto Fratini / Gorunway.com, Vogue)
The influence of "The Tortoise and the Hare" is deeply profound in this collection. The use of fur, stuffed animals, and even the reimagining of the classic pearl bag as a tortoise creates a visually exciting collection, tying each look into a cohesive whole. Rocha subtly reminds us of the story's moral—slow and steady wins the race—by incorporating familiar elements from her brand, adding a sense of continuity and depth to the collection. Dresses and coats sliced and woven together with thick ribbons feel both comforting and familiar, evoking the ‘sweet innocence’ trope we mentioned at the beginning of the collection. It adds a softness to an otherwise rough and textured lineup. I can’t help but wonder: if the bows and ribbons were absent this season, would we miss them? Or could the narrative have stood just as strong without them?
(Photo: Umberto Fratini / Gorunway.com, Vogue)
Rocha’s Autumn/Winter 2025 collection is a masterclass in visual storytelling. Once you understand the narrative behind the collection, everything becomes a little more clear. The motifs that you may typically disregard become obviously in-tune with Rochas thinking - take the newest accessory from Rocha, a chain belt with a lock and key, reminiscent of a bike lock. Leather handbags with straps and buckle hardware, something you might see as a school bag, and let's not overlook the previously mentioned fur, adorned and draped across the collection, tying us back to the tale of the "The Tortoise and the Hare”. Even the embellished varsity jerseys and stuffed animals, it compliments the collection and overall narrative perfectly. It's interesting, exciting, but not overly-complex. It's a fine balance to strike and Rocha has done a great job here.
(Photo: Umberto Fratini / Gorunway.com, Vogue)
There’s so much I love about this collection that I haven’t even touched on yet—like the reimagining of the classic school uniform with knitwear, distressed tweed, cardigans, pleated shorts, and floral elements. It’s a beautifully rich, full collection, brimming with narrative. Overall, it’s an incredibly successful outing for Rocha.
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