By Ethan Hall
Simone Rocha’s FW26 show is split into three parts “TÍR NA NÓG”, “Pony Kids” and “Weird Sisters”. The show opens with the ringing of bells slowly shifting into a melodic symphony for the first part, “TÍR NA NÓG”. TÍR NA NÓG means “Land of Young”, which can only be travelled to magically, where there is eternal youth, joy and beauty in heavenly fields
As the second part, “Pony Kids”, commences music then shifts to deep humming and clicking, which develops into a deep haunting violin piece. Perry Ogden’s book “Pony Kids” has previously been noted by Rocha as an influence on her work, and also modeled a show, which depicts the fusion between old-world and modern-day Ireland.
Rocha’s ultimate section, “Weird Sisters,” referring to the three witches from “Macbeth” that prophesied Macbeth’s ascent and set up his demise, is closed by Yung Lean’s gut-wrenching song “Agony."
Simone Rocha Fall/Winter 2026: Looks 1, 24, 49 (Images courtesy of Simone Rocha)
The Adidas collaboration is the headline of this collection, a natural and interesting collaboration to develop through Rocha’s exploration of Irish heritage and streetwear; a natural symptom of her inspiration found in “Pony Kids." The collaboration creates a strangely fun anachronism through this fusion. Rocha reworked classic track jackets into asymmetric dresses or ballooning the sleeves reminiscent of ball gowns. Rouched conservative dresses are juxtaposed with the contemporary Adidas stripes, while Adidas trackie bottoms are rouched into skirt-like silhouettes.
SImone Rocha Fall/Winter 2026: Looks 36, 37, 38 (Images courtesy of Simone Rocha)
Workwear is also reworked in this show. Sharp and rigid silhouettes are doused with femininity, exploring the macho-seriousness that men's workwear is ensnared in. Delicate floral embroideries are sewn onto trousers as kneepads, while shirts are ruched and slit open to reveal a bit of skin and long skirts hang soberly.
SImone Rocha Fall/Winter 2026: Looks 12, 34 (Images courtesy of Simone Rocha)
No show would be a Simone Rocha show without ribbons and bows. Although certainly not the focal point, the show was littered with them. Flowery ribbons, that seem emblematic of award ribbons, glide down the runway until we see a couple dress purely consumed by them - like an overachieving child. Blazers and trousers are stripped leaving a stray ribbon-like piece of fabric to trail daintily behind.
SImone Rocha Fall/Winter 2026: Looks 17, 57 (Images courtesy of Simone Rocha)
The third part of the collection was highlighted by the use of eyelets. Initially, these were deep black looks using eyelets to create almost faux zips to edit the shape of garment structure. These were followed by much lighter with a softer pallet. These softer looks appeared to hang together by loose ribbons creating a skeletal look.
SImone Rocha Fall/Winter 2026: Looks 40, 59 (Images courtesy of Simone Rocha)
Simone Rocha’s FW26 collection is as conceptually fascinating as it is visually. Although contrast between Adidas and Simone seem to clash occasionally, the collaboration produced a genuinely original take on Adidas sportswear. Juxtaposition, a common trope of Rocha’s, is a key element of this collection as the designer picks apart the dichotomy of past and contemporary; masculinity and femininity, and the different ways different techniques can be used.