SIMONE ROCHA X H&M – THE COLLABORATION I’VE LUSTED AFTER

I hope that the items in this collection will be worn and treasured for years to come. They were all informed by ideas and inspirations that have shaped me and my brand over the last 10 years, and I am so excited to see them worn out-and-about and interpreted and styled in new ways.”

– Simone Rocha

It’s the collaboration I’ve waited for ever since I went to my very first Simone Rocha show at London Fashion Week. It was in the Tate Modern on the Southbank; I could not believe I had been invited and my excitement was palpable. That was Autumn Winter 2014, and now in 2021, a year that is as unpredictable as the weather, the certainty associated with this collaboration with H&M, sets the tone for my working year. Aside from Simone, I adore H&M, a brand I have supported and worked with for the last decade or so. It’s not that this celebration of two fashion beacons is a pinnacle; it’s that we have been devoid of any fashion moments this past year, and if I was to imagine one, I think this union of an independent designer and design behemoth, would be it. Simone Rocha x H&M has a lot of points of difference to previous designer collaborations. Firstly, Simone’s designs are quintessentially about silhouette and fluidity – billowing tulle dresses punctuated by her love of embellishment and motifs; I don’t think I’ve ever seen a H&M designer collaboration with this at the centre. We’ve had the structure of Balmain and Karl Lagerfeld and the kitsch pieces of Moschino. Maybe the romantic elegance of the Lanvin collection comes close to this, but none have had the emphasis on form like Simone.

For womenswear, we can expect a catalogue of Simone-isms. Puff sleeves, lots of tulle in pink and black, a classic trench coat, a stunning pink coat and a selection of classic shoes that are completely aligned with styles from her main collections. Accessories are decorative and will dress up your jeans and t-shirt combination this spring summer. You will adorn your most casual look with ribbons and bejewelled headpieces. One styling note that I really like is how pieces can be combined – layering the broader shaped tulle dresses over either the slip dress or tartan trousers.

“Simone has such a unique and special aesthetic. Season on season, she defines her identity. This feels like the perfect collection for this moment; a dynamic proposition from a female designer with such a clear sense of who she is, and what she wants to say. It is a joyful collection, that will hopefully enliven spirits and inspire.”

– Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M

The Simone Rocha x H&M collection will be available at selected stores and online at hm.com on March 11th.