01IN 2024, JEAN PAUL GAULTIER DID SOMETHING TELLING: HE HANDED HIS
HAUTE COUTURE TO SIMONE ROCHA, THE IRISH DESIGNER KNOWN FOR
PEARLS, TULLE AND DARK ROMANCE. SHE WAS JUST THE SECOND WOMAN
INVITED TO GUEST-DESIGN HIS COUTURE. SHE MADE IT COUNT.
02IT WAS HER FIRST COUTURE, AND SHE DID NOT SHRINK. ACROSS 36 LOOKS,
ROCHA WOVE HER SIGNATURES, VOLUME, BLUSH TONES, RUCHING, PEARLED
DETAIL, THROUGH GAULTIER'S OWN CODES OF CORSETRY AND THE CONICAL
BRA. TWO DESIGN LANGUAGES, SPOKEN AT ONCE, FLUENTLY.
03THE CRAFT WAS THE POINT. A STRAPLESS DRESS IN SILVERED ANTIQUE IRISH
CROCHET LACE. ANOTHER IN IVORY PATCHWORKED DOILY CROCHET, A NOD
TO HER HERITAGE AND HER LOVE OF HANDWORK. NOT FANCY DRESS, BUT
SLOW, INHERITED SKILL PUT ONTO A COUTURE STAGE.
04ROCHA HAS BUILT A WHOLE WORLD FROM THAT ROMANCE. SINCE LAUNCHING
HER OWN LABEL, SHE HAS TURNED A DARLING, SLIGHTLY GOTHIC
FEMININITY, BOWS, PEARLS, LACE AND TULLE, INTO A SIGNATURE STARS AND
STYLISTS RECOGNISE ON SIGHT.
05AND THE TIMING IS HERS. AS FASHION SWINGS BACK TO ROMANCE AND
ORNAMENT, ROCHA'S PRETTY-BUT-STRANGE VISION IS EXACTLY THE MOOD.
SHE WAS DOING BOWS AND FROTH LONG BEFORE THE FORECASTERS CAUGHT
UP. NOW THEY ALL WANT WHAT SHE ALREADY MAKES.
06THAT IS THE QUIET TRIUMPH. NOT A HOUSE INHERITANCE OR A HYPE HIRE,
BUT AN INDEPENDENT WHO STAYED TRUE TO A ROMANTIC, CRAFT-HEAVY
VISION UNTIL THE INDUSTRY CAME AROUND TO IT. GAULTIER JUST SAW IT A
LITTLE EARLIER THAN THE REST DID.