Simone Rocha

First-time NewGen recipient for her autumn 12 women’s catwalk, Dublin-born Simone Rocha graduated with a BA in Fashion from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin in 2008, and with a Fashion MA from Central Saint Martins in London in 2010. She debuted via the Fashion East initiative at London Fashion Week where she showed her spring 11 and subsequent autumn 11 collections. She held her first solo show for spring 12.

Her familiar name is no coincidence; Rocha is the daughter of Irish designer John Rocha – but her style is very different. She describes it as “modern and strong, yet romantic”.

While the connection is doubtlessly opening doors commercially – and she is already stocked in prestigious international stores such as Dover Street Market, IT in Hong Kong, Opening Ceremony in the US and Colette in Paris – Rocha was noticed for the creativity and quality of her work while studying.

Topshop selected her as one of three Central Saint Martins MA graduates to have one-off designs stocked in the Oxford Circus flagship. She has gone on to create a capsule collection for Topshop.

She was also one of Selfridges’ ‘Bright Young Things’ of 2011, with an Oxford Street window devoted to her spring 11 collection in January last year. Colette also displayed Rocha’s autumn 11 collection in its window during last season’s couture week in Paris.

Have your say

You must sign in to make a comment.

Share this article

Follow Drapers