As Simone Rocha joins the Moncler Genius initiative for its latest chapter, her garden-inspired collection sees the rebelliously romantic designer combine femininity with practicality...
She’s known for her strong feminine approach to dressing, inspired by women who are equally as strong – females who are leaders, not wallflowers. And it is through her romantically defiant collections that Simone Rocha has managed to carve a place for herself as one of the most exciting and fascinating-to-watch designers of her generation.
This season, besides her compellingly wearable S/S19 collection, the Irish designer joins forces with Moncler for the latest chapter of its Moncler Genius initiative – a project that calls on different designers to create their own diffusion lines for the Italian brand.
"Moncler approached me. Mr Ruffini (its founder) has such an inspirational vision, it was a pleasure to be invited to work with experts in their field," explains Simone on how the collaboration came to life.
One of five designers chosen for the 2019 project, with a further five to come, Simone was asked to create a clothing line featuring a reinterpretation of Moncler’s iconic down jacket. With freedom to experiment and no design boundaries, she managed "to explore the classic down fabrication in new ways, with the Simone Rocha aesthetic," her modern femininity lending a delicate, playful twist to Moncler’s conventional silhouettes.
It was in the whimsy world of horticulture that the designer found inspiration. "I wanted the S/S19 collection to follow on from the A/W18 one, which was originally inspired by the concept of mountains," she explains. "And that’s where my inspiration came from – the Victorian mountain climbers of the 19th century. I wanted to explore another landscape and terrain, while still entwining the Simone Rocha femininity with the utilitarian practicality of Moncler. The idea of gardening echoed wonderfully the contrast of function, balanced with romance."
Her quest bridge the gap between both brands’ aesthetics saw her take the classic down fabric and delicately twist it into soft, sculptural shapes, which she covered with taffeta, PVC and tulle.
A 3D treatment of Moncler’s iconic jackets merged decoration with functionality, reimagined with wonderful embellishments. She continued her gardening theme with punctuating accessories – her floppy brimmed hats, foulards and flower-shaped goggles bound to inspire any woman to pick up a fork and tend to her garden this spring.
