Rocha’s Fall 2026 collection is feminine, edgy, and ultimately relevant.
Simone Rocha’s name has always been synonymous with “romantic rebellion” that expertly balances delicate femininity with dark, edgy, and voluminous aesthetics. But in recent years, the Irish designer’s trademark has extended beyond adorning tough leather, patent fabrics or sharp tailoring with bows, pearls, and tulle.
Rocha’s name has also stood for “relevance” among today’s youth through collaborations with popular brands like H&M, Crocs, and, most recently, Adidas. For Fall/Winter 2026, the brand reaffirmed its influence among the young with a tie-up with the sportswear giant as part of a new collection dubbed “Down to Earth.”
Unveiled on February 22 during London Fashion Week, the 60-look collection fused footballer grit with whimsical, girlish flourishes, like ruffles, bows, and cascading pearls. It took inspiration from the youth—real and imagined, traveling through time and space.
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It was presented at the Alexandra Palace Theatre in three parts: The first looked to Jack B. Yeats’ 1936 oil painting, “In Tír na nÓg,” depicting a “land of youth and beauty” in Irish mythology. “Then [with the second part], I wanted to cut through the mythology with some realism,” Rocha told Wallpaper Magazine. She then drew ideas from Perry Ogden’s 1999 photobook Pony Kids.
The third inspiration behind the collection is sisters Elizabeth and Lily Yeats, who founded Cuala Press in 1908. Through its needlework department, they created embroidered textiles and tapestries that became part of the Irish Arts and Crafts movement.
Rocha’s “Down to Earth” weaved all these inspirations into pieces that strike an artful and playful balance between athletic toughness and girlish elegance. It was evident from the get-go, especially with the opening look, which featured a lace-trimmed slip dress adorned with jewel embellishments.
The look, according to the designer, represents “the white horse of Tír na nÓg” and sets the tone for the collection bursting with distinct Rocha motifs. Delicate fabrics like lace, tulle, silk, and satin mingled effortlessly with heavier materials like wool, nylon, suede, and shearling.
The magic was in how Rocha created an interplay of opposites. “Lace boiler suits, frills on your tracksuit,” she said. In true fashion, the designer used ribbons heavily across the collection. They trailed from masculine coats to tailored trousers along with pinned corsages.
They threaded through eyelets on the corset-like cutouts of Rocha’s so-called “monster ballgowns.” Ribbons showed up in rosettes too—hanging from bags and belt loops, and even multiplying into a blooming scarlet mini dress.
The charming collision of contrasts extended to the chunky knits, double-breasted outerwear, and bomber jackets cinched at the waist. It showed up in the casual blazers paired with kilts, and in the belted trousers layered with the collection’s many vintage-style bralettes. Even a bar-style jacket was given a bustle and decorated with the same permed trim.
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And while Rocha’s inspiration for this collection was many, the collection conveyed an effortless blend of gentle elegance and rugged edge. It also serves as the launchpad for her collaboration with Adidas, which centered on women’s clothing, sneakers, and accessories that blended her “subversive femininity” style with Adidas’ sporting heritage.
Although surprising, it’s a collaboration that makes perfect sense, according to the designer. “It feels so natural to me. I was a teenager wearing Adidas running shorts under vintage tutus. The brand has always felt very ‘there,’” she said.
“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time; a feminine perspective on sportswear,” she added. “I love the idea of giving it license to cut through some of the heavier pieces, or the more fragile pieces, and the opportunity of something new.”
Adidas gave Rocha complete creative license in the collection, resulting in lace boilersuits, frilly tracksuits and ponyskin sneakers studded with pearls. She worked the sports label’s iconic stripes onto long, romantic dresses, ballet slipper-sneaker hybrids and A-line jackets. She was even permitted to rework the brand’s Trefoil logo, sprucing it up with a ribbon.
Rocha redefined sports day by reimagining track jackets with puffed sleeves, scalloped edges, and her ultimate signature: pearl zipper pull. She reinvented sporty shorts into silky hot pants and sneakers were paired with socks bedazzled with trefoil logos. The collection was a study in contrast, where Rocha’s signature romance collided with Adidas’s athletic edge, for the young and young-at-heart alike.
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