Irish designer Simone Rocha unveiled her autumn/winter 2025 collection at London Fashion Week, staging a rebellious exploration of teenage stereotypes and nostalgia at the gilded Goldsmiths’ Hall on February 23, 2025, according to the Irish Examiner.
Simone Rocha Subverts Tradition at Goldsmiths’ Hall
The collection leaned into the freedom of youth and the urge to disobey convention, blending structured leather biker jackets and harnesses with Rocha’s signature saccharine organza dresses and crystal-embellished distressed skirts, as reported by the Irish Examiner. Tailoring, slip dresses, and fur coats appeared slashed and pieced back together with ribbons, while tweed items paired with fur bloomers and wool coats featured bike chains.
According to the Irish Examiner, Rocha stated backstage, “It was a play on teenage stereotypes and nostalgia.” The runway featured a roster of the designer’s peers and high-profile friends, including actors Fiona Shaw, Andrea Riseborough, Fionn O’Shea in menswear, and Alexa Chung. The showcase arrives as Rocha marks her second decade in business, following a 2024 stint as a guest designer for a Jean Paul Gaultier haute couture collection and the release of her debut monograph with Rizzoli.
In a separate presentation at the Royal Academy of Arts on Saturday evening, Rocha described another facet of her work focusing on intimacy, privacy, security, and femininity, according to the Irish Times. That collection highlighted traditional craft techniques like tapestry and embroidery, incorporating veiling over peep-show lingerie and belted overcoats alongside a diverse model lineup featuring Chloe Sevigny, Lily Cole, and Marie Sophie Wilson.
Sinéad O’Dwyer and Irish Talent at London Fashion Week
Fellow Irish designer Sinéad O’Dwyer presented a size-inclusive, sustainable collection at the Newgen Presentation Space on Sunday, according to the Irish Examiner. A semi-finalist for the 2025 LVMH Prize, O’Dwyer featured harnessed silk organza dresses, bubble skirts, internal corsetry in deadstock nylon and red satin, deconstructed denim, and shiny black leather micro-shorts.
Additional Irish designers made their mark over the weekend. Stacey Wall, originally from Cahir and now based in London, focused on sustainability and recycled materials, while Katie Ann McGuigan made her London Fashion Week debut with a collection inspired by Japanese biker subculture, utilizing sporty nylons and tulle skirts, as noted by the Irish Times.
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