Gothic romance serves as inspiration for Simone Rocha’s spellbinding Autumn/Winter 2021 collection. At a mere 34 years old, Rocha has quite the impressive resume, with collaborations from H&M to Moncler. For this season, the Dublin-born designer toed the line between punk and princess with her masterfully balanced looks.

The collection emphasized a ménage à trois of fabrics, dominated by satin, leather, and tulle. Structured motorcycle jackets were offset with frothy layers of tulle and seasonally apropos patterned tights. Vintage vibes were a strong theme throughout, with several looks consisting of patchworked interior wallpaper prints, intricate embroidery, and porcelain cameos. Chunky boots kept the looks from being stuck in the past.

Between muted tones of black, white, and powder pink, an injection of army green matched the contrasting themes — leaning army in some looks and gardenlike in others. A standout look evoked Renaissance-era romance with hand-stitched flowers blooming across the sheer, rosette-shaped fabric.

While makeup remained minimal, the models’ Victorian-esque hairstyles were particularly noteworthy. Twisted into elaborate shapes but left artfully unfinished, the styling added to the collection’s extravagant, frenetic energy. Whimsical with a dark heart, Simone Rocha adds another successful installment to her CV.