Fashion designer’s collection inspired by pharmacist grandfather
Irish designer Simone Rocha has unveiled her first menswear collection show, which she said was partly inspired by her grandfather who worked as pharmacist.
The collection debuted at Pitti Uomo menswear fair in Florence on June 18 as part of the Spring/Summer 2027 runway show.
Rocha told Wallpaper magazine that the collection was inspired by her Chinese and Irish ancestry, in particular her grandfather who “was a pharmacist in the Irish midlands”.
Read more: Boots partners with designer to showcase pharmacy heritage
She continued, “because he was the pharmacist he was also the person who had the darkroom - everyone in town would take their pictures to him to develop.”
Rocha describes him as “an incredible photographer” with “an amazing eye for composition”, but “because he was always behind the camera, there are very few photos of him”.
“The idea of being viewed versus being the viewer is something I’ve been thinking a lot about,” she added.
Read more: ‘Boots must be the most expensive, incredible store in the world’
The collection features Rocha’s signature feminine flair, which was juxtaposed with boxy menswear silhouettes.
Cornflowers were also featured as a motif throughout the collection, which was a nod to the 1985 film adaption of EM Forster’s A Room With A View, which was also set in Florence.
In February, Boots launched a collaboration with London designer Anya Hindmarch, which was inspired by 1970s pharmacies.
A pop-up store was created, which showcased “purses, card cases, and mini bags in the brand style of Berocca, Band-Aid, Imperial Leather and Carmex, along with special pharmacy items including the Advil and Nurofen products”.
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