Giant Snuggle Bunnies Stole the Show at Simone Rocha FW25
info@hypebae.com (Hypebae) Sun, 23 Feb 2025 Hypebae
"Distilling the past for the present," read Simone Rocha’s poetic show notes, "past, present, presence, pretend." In short, a very lyrical way of putting something quite simple, but very masterfully done by Rocha. For the Fall/Winter 2025 collection the London fashion darling revisited her previous collections (and even a former show venue, Goldsmiths’ Hall, which hosted her FW18 show) to create something entirely new – and distinctly Rocha.
Inspired, in part, by Aesop’s fable The Tortoise and the Hare, Rocha seemed to be borrowing from the past (slowly, steadily) to build a more successful future. Physically, that looked like a collection that brought together all her tried-and-tested design motifs – big bow energy, billowing shoulders, glitzy embellishments and faux furry friends – into one collection.
Backstage, she spoke about school uniforms, too, and the schoolyard characters – the headmistress, the teacher, the girls, the boys – her models took on. Among the all-star lineup were Alexa Chung, Bel Powley, Fiona Shaw, Andrea Riseborough, Pachinko’s Minha Kim and Normal People’s Fionn O’Shea. True to Rocha, there was a tongue-in-cheek feel to it all. One model stomped down the runway with her arms crossed in the ultimate “can’t be ars*d” mood.
The real star of the show? The array of rabbits – or hares, if we’re being technical about it – that peeked out from bags, doubled up as bags, hung over shoulders like fur stoles or wrapped around necks like supersized scarves or emotional support animals. They came in fluffy, furry and even satin finishes, with embellished buttons for eyes. Other models carried far more demure tortoise hardshell resin bags, reminiscent of the egg bags from seasons past.
Overall, it was a boyish collection, with the menswear offering bursting with knee-length shorts, brogues and rugby shirts. But the womenswear – the leather biker jackets especially – were special still. Faux fur coats, pink silk jacquard and her tinsel-y bouclé tweed were all shredded to ribbons, and at times bound with actual pink and red ribbons. In terms of footwear, there was a collection of ballet flats (of course), as well as belted brogues and faux fur kitten heels. It was all so good that Rocha’s renowned Crocs collab’s absence was barely felt - and that’s saying something.
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