Sky is the limit as Rocha show reaches for the stars

THE sky really is the limit for Irish designer John Rocha, whose wares were on display in London this week.

To celebrate his continuing elevation in the fashion world he took inspiration from the sun, moon and stars for the spring/summer 2008 collection unveiled at fashion week yesterday evening.

Crescent moons and bright silver and red glitter stars came out on black fabrics in flowing and beautifully sculpted silhouettes, for a mystical nocturnal experience.

These pieces were contrasted with occasional bursts of morning sunshine, which came in a fabric made up of thousands of silk petals in mandarin, pink and red, set to kingfisher blue.

“This collection is based on lithographs of Alexander Calder, the painter, who made his backgrounds in black and all the lovely images of the stars, moon and sun in colour, so that’s why you see in the collection the half moon in orange, the red star. But obviously I always try to do what I do a bit better and this collection is really building on what I do,” said Rocha, speaking backstage after his show.

He went on: “The designs celebrate a strong female silhouette, which is both delicate and beautiful, modern and romantic.”

Jackets and coats are classically tailored with skinny belts and button detail and he uses padding on the hems and the cuffs to subtly exaggerate proportions.

The “wizard with the scissors”, as he is known, uses traditional Irish hand-crochet, embroideries and embellishments with silk, wrapped and tiered dresses which are worn over easy, baggy three-quarter length trousers.

Trousers are also made from moon-coloured lace and checked, crinkled linen in black and white. Parka jackets are cropped and flared. Thousands of sunshine silk-petals combine to make a tulle shift dress, with a soft, silk neckline.

Each season Rocha comes up with a new and interesting head design that usually gains momentum and is sometimes imitated on the high street. This collection has tiny, knitted saucer-size hats, with a single knitted crescent moon or star standing on top.

Commenting on the hats, he said: “Fashion can sometimes be a bit too serious so I like to put a bit of humour into it so there’s stars, there’s moons and suns and they are all done in Irish hand-crochets so the idea is that I can stick to tradition as well, but combine it with a more modern idea.”

Hundreds crammed into the marquee on the grounds of London’s Natural History Museum to see the show, including his biggest fan, shoe designer Jimmy Choo.

After the show the group moved on to the opening party for Rocha’s first-ever London store in a building that previously housed a pub in the exclusive Mayfair area.

Rocha said his new store is a “continuing evolving story” on his “journey creating” after 20 years in the style business.

He said the store is not simply a shop, but a home and will house a library of poetry and reference books, a selection of his contemporary art collection and a private apartment as well as his collection of women’s, men’s and children’s wear, textiles and jewellery and John Rocha crystal.

Rocha “lovingly and painstakingly” designed the three floors of the building himself. He promised that, unlike many designer stores in the area, it will be “wholly welcoming”.