Simone Rocha was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1986. In 2008 she graduated with a BA in Fashion from The National College of Art and Design in Dublin continuing in 2010 to graduate from the acclaimed Fashion MA at Central Saint Martin’s College, London. Simone debuted at London Fashion Week in September 2010.

Her collections have gained her some of the most prestigious stockists in the world including Dover Street Market, Matchesfashion, Ikram, I.T, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Simone continues to create in-store installations and windows within her premium retailers. She has shop-in-shops in Dover Street Market London, New York and Ginza as well as IT Beijing Market. She has also worked with Dover Street Market worldwide on special installations for seasonal re-openings, anniversaries and collaborations, always featuring her signature Perspex furniture and hand-made sculptures. She has also had window displays in Colette and Le Bon Marche during Paris Fashion Week.

In November 2014 Simone launched her collaboration with US based denim label J Brand, being stocked in her key stockists and receiving press coverage worldwide. Simone has achieved editorial coverage from top publications including – Vogue US, Interview, Purple, Dazed and Confused and CR Fashion Book.

In August 2015 Simone opened her first store in London on Mount Street. The store interiors feature Simone’s signature furniture and hand-made sculptures. The store interiors change seasonally with new displays and installations, notably for SS16 the store window featured an installation titled Flowers and Cars. It was a car reconstructed in the window filled with dried flowers – representing the made-made and natural elements that form part of the brand aesthetic.

Simone Rocha has evolved into an internationally renowned and award-winning brand. In the past, accolades have included British Fashion Awards for ‘Emerging Talent, Ready-to-Wear’ (2013) and ‘The New Establishment Award’ (2014). Most recently at the 2016 Fashion Awards Simone received the “British Womenswear Designer Award” as well as the 2016 Harper’s Bazaar Designer of Year Award.

In February 2017 Simone opened her first USA store in Soho, New York. The store features Simone’s signature furnishings as well as art pieces by Ren Ri, Robert Rauschenberg and Louise Bourgeois. The interiors reflect the continued inspirations of art, nature, family, Ireland, Asia as well as working with USA based artists.

Simone works on seasonal imagery and produces limited edition printed books featuring this and the works of collaborators and inspirations. Simone has worked with Jacob Lillis, Eoin McLoughlin, Colin Dodgson, Louise Bourgeois, Perry Ogden, Niall O’Brien, Roni Horn and Jackie Nickerson for these books.

For SS17 Simone worked with Jackie Nickerson to shoot imagery on location in Zambia. The photos were then picked up as campaign imagery in titles such as, Wallpaper*, The Gentlewoman and Self Service. For Simone’s fourth exclusive self-published book Simone worked with Colin Dodgson to showcase the AW17 collection within the show venue of Lancaster House. The shoot features models who walked in the AW17 show, highlighting women of different generations and their interpretations of femininity. The timeless beauty contrasting with youthful newer faces all representing personal presence and style.

details from the show

In 2018 Simone curated Issue 18 of A Magazine Curated By. The issue explored the Simone aesthetic and world through the themes of Ireland, Hong Kong, China and family. The issue featured newly commissioned and existing work by artists and collaborators as well as cultural figures like Mary Robinson, Hans-Ulrich Obrist and Chimamanda Adichie.

Since February 2018 Simone has been Creative Director for Moncler as part of the Genius Group. The collections have been shown during Milan fashion week to critical acclaim.

For AW19 Simone collaborated with the Louise Bourgeois Studio to reimagine Bourgeois’ fabric works into prints and embroideries in the collection. The collaboration continued into two styles of limited-edition earrings produced with Hauser + Wirth released during New York Frieze.

For SS20 Simone showed in the historic Alexandra Palace Theatre and received the accolade of Vogue.com’s Top Ten shows for the eighth consecutive season. Most recently Simone returned to the London landmark of Lancaster House to show her AW20 collection inspired by the Irish the Aran Islands, the life there, and J.M. Synge’s play about it, Riders to the Sea.

Film by Eoin McLoughlin / photos simone rocha