Simone Rocha

Simone Rocha
Name	Simone Rocha
Birth date	1986
Birth place	Dublin, Ireland
Occupation	Fashion designer
Years active	2010–present
Label	Simone Rocha

Simone Rocha is an Irish fashion designer known for a womenswear label that blends sculptural tailoring, romantic ornamentation, and contemporary silhouettes. Trained in London and Dublin, she launched a namesake brand that quickly attracted attention from major fashion institutions, retailers, and cultural figures. Her work has been presented at leading fashion weeks and collected by museums and private clients around the world.

Early life and education

Born in Dublin to a family engaged with the arts, she grew up in an environment connected to the National College of Art and Design, Royal College of Art, and the Irish creative community. Her father, a noted figure in Irish visual arts, influenced early exposure to Trinity College Dublin galleries and exhibitions at institutions such as the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Hugh Lane Gallery. She studied at the National College of Art and Design before completing postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Art, where tutors and peers included figures associated with Central Saint Martins networks and the wider London design scene.

Career

After graduating from the Royal College of Art, she launched a debut collection that garnered attention from editors at Vogue, buyers from Harrods, and curators at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Her early runway presentations at London Fashion Week were covered by publications including British Vogue, The New York Times, and Business of Fashion. The brand expanded into boutique retail and international wholesale through accounts with Matchesfashion, Net-a-Porter, and department stores like Selfridges and Saks Fifth Avenue. She staged live presentations and collaborations that involved institutions such as Sadler's Wells, The Royal Opera House, and art spaces connected to Tate Modern.

Design signature and influences

Her aesthetic combines elements of historical dress referenced via collections invoking motifs from Jacobean era embroideries, Victorian fashion, and Elizabethan silhouette studies, while referencing contemporary practitioners such as alumni from Central Saint Martins and peers presented at London Fashion Week Men's and Paris Fashion Week. Techniques include appliqué, tulle layering, and hand-sewn embellishment reminiscent of archive collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum and costume holdings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She cites influences from art-world figures exhibited at Tate Britain and Irish Museum of Modern Art shows, as well as collaborations with choreographers linked to Royal Ballet repertory and designers who have worked with Alexander McQueen houses.

Collaborations and commercial ventures

Her label has engaged in multidisciplinary collaborations with brands and institutions including partnerships with Moncler, capsule projects with H&M, and curated installations with galleries allied to Design Museum. Retail collaborations have appeared in pop-up activations at locations such as Colette (while it operated), bespoke commissions for clients associated with The Met Gala, and product partnerships with accessory specialists tied to Miu Miu and Prada markets. She has also worked with costume departments for theatre and dance companies including Royal Opera House productions and commissions for performers represented by agencies that collaborate with Sadler's Wells.

Awards and recognition

Her work has been recognized by industry bodies and cultural institutions: shortlisted and awarded by organizations including the British Fashion Council and acknowledged by editorial platforms such as Vogue. She has received prizes that align with alumni honours from the Royal College of Art and grant support connected to Irish cultural funding bodies like agencies partnered with Arts Council England and institutions tied to Ford Foundation-style philanthropic models. Collections of her designs are held or archived by museums and institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art costume collections.

Personal life and philanthropy

She maintains residences and professional bases between Dublin and London, engaging with community arts programs and initiatives allied with cultural institutions including National Gallery of Ireland outreach and education projects linked to Irish Arts Council programs. Her philanthropic activities have involved donations and collaborations with charities and benefit events organized by organizations similar to Barnardo's and fundraising auctions hosted by major auction houses that support arts education and preservation.

Category:Irish fashion designers Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Art