Fashion designer Simone Rocha on Brexit, Hong Kong protests and femininity – ‘It’s brave to stand up and have your voice heard’

London-based designer, whose father is Hong Kong-born designer John Rocha, readies to open her first store in Hong Kong

Her clothes instantly recognisable, Rocha’s label is about to hit the 10-year mark. She recalls starting out as a small design studio in east London

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Designer Simone Rocha in opening a store in Hong Kong in July. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Published: 4:00pm, 28 Jul 2019Updated: 12:08pm, 30 Jul 2019

Since her debut in 2010, designer Simone Rocha has become one of the hottest tickets at London Fashion Week, building a loyal following among creative and fashion-forward types drawn to her offbeat and feminine aesthetic.

Born and raised in Ireland, Rocha is the daughter of Hong Kong-born designer John Rocha, who folded his eponymous label in 2014 to help grow Simone’s business (her Irish mother is also involved in the company, overseeing retail).

While the brand has a strong wholesale presence, selling at some of the top stores in the world, it has also built a small but significant retail network. After opening boutiques in London and New York, Rocha is unveiling her first store on Ice House Street in Hong Kong, in partnership with the I.T fashion group.

“Since I started opening stores a few years ago, first in my hometown of London and then in New York, it feels natural that the third store should be here in Hong Kong,” says Rocha when we meet at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong on a hot summer day.

Simone Rocha autumn-winter 2019 collection.

“[The Hong Kong market] is a huge ... for me, not just the local customers but the international ones, too. It’s also my family’s hometown, so it’s very personal as my father is from Hong Kong and I’ve been visiting since I was a child, so I feel connected to the culture and the idea of family and people’s style.”