If you thought tutus were just for ballerinas, Simone Rocha’s latest fashion collection proves different.
Her spring/summer 2025 London Fashion Week took the idea of a tutu to new heights – while also giving it a darker edge.
As we’ve come to expect from the Irish designer, Rocha’s collection toed the line between coquettish and melancholy – her designs captivated an eerie romance, as childlike tutus were drenched in vivid reds.
Born in Dublin in 1986, Rocha graduated from Central Saint Martin’s College in 2008 and made her debut at London Fashion Week just two years later.
This collection didn’t stray far from Rocha’s quintessential style, from delicately embellished pieces to sheer pale pink overlays, balancing prim detailing with dark deconstruction.
Balletcore started sweeping TikTok fashion accounts at the end of last last year, and this season Rocha showed the trend has more legs than your average social media fad.
The runway was awash with tutu skirts, silk slippers, organza clutches and a blush pink palette.
Some of the models carried organza-covered clutch bags that looked like rolled-up tutus – which could very well become one of the ‘it’ bags of the season.
She also showed her more experimental approach to fashion, with statement bows, deconstructed overcoats and sheer overlays revealing the fragile details of each models’ body.
The rose motif has become something of a Rocha signature, and they were embellished across skirts, tops and trousers, while also being incorporated as accessories as models graced the runway with blushing bouquets.
However, this prudish innocence was cut through with Rocha’s use of vivid reds and pitch blacks, along with sharply tailored suits, coats and dresses.
"There’s a frivolity and a reality to it," Rocha told WWD ahead of the show, while explaining that her inspirations for this season came from ballet and the German dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch.
There were also newer elements in this collection for the designer – she used denim for the first time, bringing a texture and dimension to the show not previously seen before.
Rocha’s introduction of daring design coups and deeper hues managed to tie together the demure frivolity of balletcore with something darker and more grown-up.
Rocha used artwork by renowned Irish painter Genieve Figgis as inspiration for some designs, including a bodysuit accented with black ruffles and a print of Figgis' work Lady With a Bird.
Among the guests were singer Paloma Faith, composer Isobel Waller-Bridge and Jordan Hewson, all of whom sat in the coveted front row.
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