The Designer Brand To Emulate Now

There’s also a dark side to the ravishing beauty Simone creates. The revered stylist Isabella Blow used to say that in art you need contrast, light and shade. Simone is a master of this. Signature statement trapeze dresses are given a weighty full stop with flat, often heavily platformed sandals (there's not a stiletto in sight), nothing is too saccharine and sweet. Headdresses embellished with pearls and flowers are also given an unexpected twist with sporadic spikes.

Her fabrics are often where she manifests her Irish heritage – antique table cloths, lace, doilies. White, ecru, camel, pastels make up most of the colour palette but there’s enough black to appeal to the masses, too, albeit still pretty with ruffles and volume. This season surely sees one of her prettiest collections to date – her blue and white delft print dress is a favourite and such a great example of how her clothes meld what women wore in the past and what they wear now. It’s a bit like playing dress up when you wear her pieces, but they cleverly land on the right side of practical.

I think a key part of Simone’s success is that her clothes appeal to all women, of any age, and any size. And trapeze dresses aren’t her only forte – directional tailoring is key. In fact, if you were to invest in anything this season, a printed poplin shirt and some of her covetable icicle earrings would be it. She’s the kind of designer you want to start investing in and gradually build up a collection. Simone says herself:

Of course, if you love the Simone Rocha look but don’t have the budget, it's still possible to create it using other brands. An embellished headband, pearl earrings, a voluminous midi dress and chunky flat sandals are key to her spring/summer look. There are plenty of pearl and crystal bands about – I always find Anthropologie has a great collection – and frayed raffia is also key. Other high end designers such as Molly Goddard, Cecilie Bahnson are favourites for Victoriana midi dresses, but the high street has diligently followed suit. Also, be sure to have a look through your existing wardrobe. I have a pair of Isabel Marant chunky flat sandals from last summer that I'll be using to complete my look. If you’re still on the hunt, one of my favourite brands is Arizona Love, which has a fab pearl encrusted pair at a really good price. So, bring out the pearls, puff up your sleeves and keep your footwear heavy to pay homage to this homegrown talent. 

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