Shooting Simone Rocha’s motherhood collection

Simone Rocha’s Mount Street store is more than just a shop. From the saccharine block of pink marble to the white wire cage, it’s a place which expresses the beautiful contradictions of her creative world; a setting where a cut-in-half BMW filled with flowers doesn’t actually seem out of place. Naturally, it makes the perfect backdrop for her clothes – but not just on hangers. Recently, the Irish LVMH Prize finalist invited photographer Andrew Nuding to capture her AW16 collection in the store. First debuting at London Fashion Week back in February, the collection was inspired in part by motherhood – and the arrival of Rocha’s first child. “It was all about this idea of swaddling and mothering,” the designer said backstage. “This whole building and growing of things.” Consequently, it featured beading that shaped breasts, bags that recalled those carried by stalks and hospital-inspired smocks. 

“Her collections and shows are so considered and emotionally-charged,” shares Nuding. “I feel like I can always connect with her work. We both went to the same art college in Ireland and it's very exciting to see such a successful Irish designer.” For the project, he was given free rein. “The brief was pretty open – she wanted us to do something that incorporated our style and the only stipulation was that we were to shoot in the shop. So we taped flowers onto the models’ face and arms, and used lots of features that were available to us: the Ren Ri beehive sculptures, the metal cage designed by Simone and Janina Pedan, and the pink Onyx table that Simone designed.”

@andrewnuding | @simonerochashop