In this instance for this research task, I chose ‘Simone Rocha’, newly found designer and daughter of re-nowned fashion designer ‘John Rocha‘, in which I looked into her Autumn/Winter 2016 Collection as it was truly mesmerising and the garments themselves were beautiful and clearly linked to her main theme/basis idea for her final collection. Adding on, her main form of inspiration came from the idea of ‘Motherhood’ which came to mind after giving birth to her child Valentine due to the fact she took in everything from the wardens dress, surgeons medical attire, hospital decor and even historical influences in which she researched further once developing the start of her final A/W 2016 collection. Below is a selection of images from her Autumn/Winter 2016 Collection:

Simone also used references of ‘gothic horror’ to coincide with her quite sinister and dark hospital theme as well as taking references from sweet and tranquil themes and ideas such as motherhood and childbirth. The whole gothic horror visual reference was played in her garment designs in basis with colour schemes and material/fabric selection of choices due to the fact they contrasted strikingly with the theme and idea coinciding well together as the blend of thoughts, notion and ideas worked successfully. As well as this, she also took reference from what she wore in the hospital herself which was the ‘hospital/medical dressing gowns’ in which created quite an ill-fitting and loose silhouette which she found inspiration from and leading her into the victorian silhouette, Edwardian references and surgical background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image Analysis:

 

To research further, I decided to analyse this specific image (shown below) from my ‘Simone Rocha Visual Reference Moodboard’ as I feel it envisions the whole collection in one and I can truly see how the Simone Rocha Autumn/Winter 2016 Collection took inspiration from this in particular. The image I chose was an old-style inspired 1970’s smock designed by a fashion designer known as ‘Leslie Poole’ for the brand Annacat which was taken by Barry Lategan and scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, March 1971, which contains a mature women with a child both wearing the infamous smocks posing displaying the garments in a subtle and elegant manner – in which I assume is for an ad campaign for one of the iconic and most well-known fashion magazines ‘Vogue’. The way the image is composed comes across quite subdued and minimal just purely on the fact both models, mother and child, are acting in way in which is quite affectionate and loving therefore not distracting from the garments itself – but still creating a dynamic, high-end and commercially viable ad campaign. As well as this, the way the models are posing; holding out the smock so its fully open, is eye-catching and distinct as it enables the viewer of the image to clearly see the detail and design elements of the garment up-close. On the other hand though due to being vintage and taken in quite an old-style (assuming 1970’s the image was taken with a fuji/canon film camera) which meant the image won’t be as crisp or crystal-clear/high definition as it is it todays modern technology – therefore leaving the image in an unfocused and non-clear state. Below the image on the website it does specifically say that it’s ‘Glorious Pre-Raphaelite…’ is what the main visual reference they gain from looking at this image in particular. This is a particular style/art movement/society which was carried throughout the mid-late 1800’s founded in London by young artist’s such as ‘William Holman Hunt’, ‘John Everett Millais’ and ‘Dante Gabriel Rossetti’ all of which started this secret society opposing the works produced by The Royal Academy – after which they became highly influential. In comparison with this image, the work of Sir John Everett Millais’, Bt ‘Ophelia’ 1851-2 Tate. Painting, I find links in well with my desired image purely on the basis that what Ophelia is wearing has a vague resembalance to the Leslie Poole 1970’s smock. The image in particular is based upon a scene out of one of Shakespeare’s infamous plays ‘Hamlet, Act IV, Scene vii which consists of the storyline where Ophelia is driven to suicide – out of pure madness (drowning herself in the river), when her father was murdered by her lover Hamlet. In particular, I find that the storyline carries a similar theme alongside Simone Rocha’s motherhood theme as it contrasts in the fact they’re opposites and both discuss the ideas and notions of love and affection and how people are treated by it. Simone Rocha’s collection was inspired by motherhood in the sense of creating new life and bringing into the world in a warm and welcoming environment taking inspiration from her surroundings. Where as, Shakespeare depicted a more sinister and dark sense of “motherhood” – from a fathers side of view, showing that love can be quite darkening and untruthful leading to more heartfelt and saddening emotions and feelings – which I feel would’ve taken Simone Rocha’s A/W 2016 Collection down a  whole ‘nother avenue of inspiration. Linking it back, the Ophelia painting works will in context with the original image of analysis I was researching into purely based on the style of dress the character was wearing as it was of old-victorian-style of which contained design elements such as gathers, lace, length, volume and even bishop sleeves – vaguely seen in the painting for reference, which allows me to see the connection more clearly.

References:

Information:

1. https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2016-ready-to-wear/simone-rocha – I used the ‘Vogue‘ website to locate my chosen designer’s collection and find out more about her inspiration and visual references she used within her design work.
2. http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/29944/1/simone-rocha-s-twisted-take-on-motherhood – To gain a more in-depth analytical in-sight into my chosen designer’s collection I came across this particular website feature/article which went into vivid detail about her thoughts and ideas of the her final collection.
3. https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/kz8yvx/simone-rocha-fallwinter-16-explores-the-reality-and-fantasy-of-motherhood – This website was incredibly helpful as it included specific quotes in which Simon Rocha (my chosen designer) had spoken at the time about her influences and visual references for her garments.
4. https://www.independent.ie/style/fashion/fashion-news/motherhood-proves-to-be-inspiration-for-simone-rocha-as-she-debuts-latest-collection-at-london-fashion-week-34473798.html – An article in which gave me a closer look into Simone Rocha’s final collection.
5. https://emmapeelpants.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/inspirational-editorials-these-smocks-are-the-shape-of-things-to-come/ – This is the website where I found more contextual and background information on the image itself I specifically decided to analyse more in-depth to.
6. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/pre-raphaelite – Background information on the secret society of the ‘Pre-Raphaelites’ opposing the Royal Academy.
7. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/millais-ophelia-n01506 – This site allowed me to look into a painters infamous painting researching more in-depth into the art’s history and contextual background.

Images:

1. surgical gloves – Simone Rocha was inspired by medical wear and focused on the surgeons surgical gloves and designed similar gloves in which took a more victorian elegant twist.
2. tulles fabric samples – This was her own take on the hospitals old Edwardian style curtain furnishings and bed sheets taking reference to her sense of touch and sight.
3. 1950s matrons smocks – After childbirth, Simone Rocha was inspired by her midwives hospital attire so focused historically into 1950s matron smocks for the basis of her garment design ideas/ and entirety of her final collection.
4. lancaster house decor  – Lancaster House was Simone Rocha’s location for her final location in which she still took inspiration for her garments mainly from the decor.
5. historical witches – After looking into multiple visual reference for her collection she could see links to quite dark gothic horror so researched into ‘historical witches‘ aspects to tie-in a more dynamic and distinct theme.
6. edwardian hospitals – Since her main theme is based on ‘motherhood’ and she got her final collection idea from the birth of her child ‘Valentine‘ she researched into Edwardian hospitals assuming for contextual background information and to enhance her garment design ideas and final collection outcome.
7. victorian fashion – These were the main silhouettes formed as inspiration for her final collection garments in instance with the ‘1950s matrons smocks‘.
8. https://showstudio.com/collection/simone_rocha_london_womenswear_a_w_2016/instagram_119991 – I used this website as it contained images in which I feel showed of Simone Rocha’s A/W 2016 Collection of in a aesthetically pleasing way.
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_fiction#/media/File:Kenilworth_Castle_England.jpg – Kenilworth Castle Image – No Reference Needed (on the website stated as a free image).
10. hospital dressing gowns – Used as a visual reference for what Simon Rocha was inspired by during her stay at a hospital during childbirth for her final A/W 2016 Collection.
11. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/millais-ophelia-n01506 – This site gave me an image which I used for a comparison with another image I was analysing.