SIMONE ROCHA X H&M

Words by Kate Sinclair

Finally some good news – H&M have announced their latest designer collaboration and it’s no other than the amazing London based Simone Rocha.

The announcement comes as a continuation of a long tradition of designer collaborations with the high street powerhouse, which have previously included Versace, Balmain, Lanvin and of most recent, The Vampires Wife. It all kicked off in 2004 when the brand collaborated with the legendary Karl Lagerfeld. Now they have joined forces with designer Simone Rocha to create an exclusive collection that offers womenswear, menswear and children’s wear – a collection for the entire family, a first for Rocha.

Following on from the creations of her name-sake brand, the collection explores and celebrates Rocha’s personal inter-ethnic heritage alongside a myriad of inspirations that have come to define her aesthetic over the years.

I am so thrilled to be working with H&M on this very special collection. It truly is a celebration of the signatures of my brand, and the influences that have shaped me. As a designer, and as a customer, I’ve been such a fan of the H&M collaboration concept. Margiela, Alber Elbaz, Comme des Garcons – it’s such an amazing list of alumni to be a part of.
– Simone Rocha.

Paying homage to the key collections that have established Simone Rocha as a lead designer of the 21st Century, the collection will reimagine brand classics, offering new interpretations of the pieces the brand is best known for. Expect bespoke fabrications, florals, ballooning sleeves, beading and embellishments, tartans, knitwear, tailoring, tulle and pearls a-plenty.

The collection has been created with the intention of mixing and matching, encouraging experimentation with pieces that can be forever kept and cherished and worn over and over again.

Simone Rocha has been on the H&M wish-list for some time. This collaboration offers a new audience the chanceto own a very special piece of design history. All of us at H&M have been so inspired to work with a female designer who spends so much time thinking about contemporary femininity, and womanhood, and who is so committed to excellence in craft and design, from the process of developing special fabrications, to pushing silhouettes, shapes and embellishments. Every garment within this collection is unique, special and the result of years of work and meticulous research.
– Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M.