“A playful provocative stance” and “an awkward moment”—that is how Simone Rocha briefly described her spring/summer 2026 collection in the show notes. The London-based designer, who is known for delicately ornate, sheer dresses and bejeweled adornments, has begun using her runways to examine childhood innocence as of late. If last season utilized nostalgia through her—at times literal—evocation of the elementary schoolyard tale The Tortoise and the Hare, then this season spotlighted the hopeful, transitory period between youth and young adulthood.
In the notes, Rocha also made reference to the essay “My Dress Rehearsal: or How Mrs. Clarke Taught Me How to Sew” by Maureen Freely. The prose can be found in the photobook Entering the Masquerade: Girls from Eleven to Fourteen. A clunky, mandatory performance in which all girls must participate—that is what Rocha’s runway faces head-on.
The opening look, a flower organza skirt laid over crinolines paired with a sequin bralette slipping off the shoulder, brought to mind the uneasiness of your first school dance, an event where many discover how to express themselves. The tiara and asymmetrical necklace—also seen throughout the collection—added a sense of dress-up as one dips their proverbial toes into the waters of teendom. Natural insecurities were conveyed through subtle styling choices and gestures: shrugged shoulders, crossed arms clutching silk pillows (actually bags in disguise), disjointed makeup, and messy hair—all presented by a youthful cast of models.
However wobbly the journey, it wasn’t all unsteady. More mature confidence could be found in a chartreuse dress with padded hips or the allover sequin gowns, which floated off the waist, using crinoline to redraw the boundaries of the body. There were also breakthrough moments of Rocha’s signature ethos. A cotton poplin dress covered in a floral vinyl, a pink quilted set with delicate black bows, and a satin gown with a graphic Icelandic poppy felt truer to the core of the brand—though slightly out of place among the other intentionally awkward ensembles.
For now, Rocha seems to be drawing a multiseason narrative thread—a method she has used before, connecting collections that culminated in her Jean Paul Gaultier couture collaboration. First childhood, then youth; adulthood remains to complete the triptych.
Alexandra Hildreth is the Fashion News Editor at ELLE. She is fascinated by style trends, industry news, shake-ups, and The Real Housewives. Previously, she attended the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Following graduation, she moved back to New York City and worked as a freelance journalist and producer.
