Simone Rocha has consistently demonstrated an unparalleled ability to construct immersive worlds within her eponymous label, a creative endeavor that began in 2010. Her distinct universe is characterized by a captivating blend of opulent pearls and resilient perspex, the spiritual resonance of Catholic iconography, and the alluring mystique of folkloric heroines. This sartorial tapestry is woven with threads of debutante charm, doll-like innocence, and garments that oscillate between the devotional and the dangerously alluring. Yet, for Rocha, the act of crafting such an evocative world has never implied the erection of impenetrable borders. Instead, collaboration has served as a recurring catalyst, unlocking the potential of her creative vision and allowing its inherent brilliance to unfurl.
A History of Collaborative Expansion
Rocha’s trajectory of thoughtful partnerships began early. A seminal collaboration with J. Brand saw her translate the signature ruffles and vibrant hues of her designs into the accessible medium of denim. This process not only allowed for the transposition of her aesthetic but also provided invaluable insights into the technicalities of washes and dyeing techniques. More recently, in 2024, Rocha took on the esteemed role of guest couturier for Jean Paul Gaultier, delving into the storied archives of the iconic French house. She described this experience to Vogue as an opportunity "to see what your spirit does in response," a testament to her experimental approach to creative dialogue. This year marked another significant expansion with her inaugural standalone menswear show, presented as the guest designer at Pitti Uomo in Florence. This milestone, which she characterized as "a new chapter in my work and world," underscored her growing influence and ambition to broaden her creative horizons.
The Philosophy of Synergy in Collaboration
The essence of a truly impactful collaboration, as Rocha articulates in her east London studio, lies in the creation of something that "either party couldn’t produce like the other." This symbiotic relationship is what elevates a partnership beyond mere co-branding into a genuine artistic fusion. "I love to take people by surprise and be like, ‘Oh, I wasn’t expecting that, but of course I totally see that.’ That’s when I think something can feel magical,” Rocha explains, highlighting her penchant for unexpected yet ultimately harmonious outcomes.
This philosophy perfectly encapsulates the genesis of the long-term partnership between adidas Originals and Simone Rocha, a collaboration that has captivated the fashion industry. The inaugural collection was unveiled during Rocha’s Fall 2026 show, held within the grand and historic Alexandra Palace in London. The collection masterfully intertwined evocative narratives, drawing inspiration from the ancient Gaelic tale of eternal youth and romance, Tír na nÓg, with the raw, urban poetry of Perry Ogden’s 1999 photographic series, Pony Kids. Ogden’s compelling images captured youths from Dublin’s housing estates astride horses, a striking juxtaposition of equestrian attire and well-worn sportswear.
Translating Heritage into a New Language
Within the adidas Originals x Simone Rocha collaboration, this narrative was translated through signature sporty adidas silhouettes, reinterpreted through Rocha’s signature lens of softness and femininity. The collection featured track pants adorned with lace layers and ruffle fronts, football socks embellished with diamanté and pearls, and bags exquisitely crafted with broderie anglaise. Faced with the vast and multifaceted universe of the Three Stripes, Rocha posed a characteristically insightful question: "Adidas is just a big universe. So I’m kind of like: ‘What is our planet?’" This query speaks to her desire to carve out a distinct and meaningful space within the expansive adidas landscape, ensuring her unique creative identity remains central.
The full scope of this expansive vision is now being revealed, captured by the evocative lens of photographer Justine Kurland in a series of dreamlike tableaux. The complete collection is slated for a global launch on September 10th, marking a significant moment for both brands.
A Personal Connection to Sportswear
The seeds of this collaboration were sown long before formal discussions began. Rocha confesses to a lifelong affinity for adidas, a connection that began in her youth. "I used to wear adidas under my school skirt," she recalls, a sentiment echoed by generations of Irish schoolgirls. During her college years, this personal style evolved, mirroring the aesthetic language that would later define her brand. She combined vintage petticoats and old tutus with adidas Three Stripes football shorts. "I had a red Firebird with black stripes that I loved," she says, reflecting on its profound impact. "I always appreciated how it grounded the femininity that came very naturally to the way I dressed." This personal history imbues the collaboration with an authentic narrative, bridging the gap between the functional heritage of sportswear and the expressive artistry of high fashion.
The Core of the Collection: Hardcore Femininity
The central tension and allure of the adidas Originals x Simone Rocha partnership lies in its ability to bridge two distinct yet complementary worlds. This collaboration, which generated considerable buzz upon its reveal at Rocha’s Fall 2026 show, has roots deeply embedded in her personal history and cultural observations. Growing up in the Republic of Ireland, Rocha witnessed firsthand the potent synergy between sportswear and youthful rebellion along the River Liffey. "It very much represents youth culture—boys and girls and the scene," she observes. "At home, you don’t want to be too dressed up. For me, it’s a big part of the culture, to almost feel like you’re kind of on the ground."
This grounding influence is integral to Rocha’s design ethos, where an inherent preciousness is tempered without sacrificing femininity. The adidas collaboration amplifies this characteristic, pushing its boundaries. "For me, it was really bringing it into a feminine space, but from the point of view that feminine didn’t mean soft or fragile," she elaborates. "It was about bringing this idea of strength, something very grounded and versatile, into this more feminine space." This fusion results in what she aptly terms "hardcore femininity," a concept that resonates throughout the collection.
A Deep Dive into the Adidas Archive
The genesis of this partnership was a multi-year process, with substantive discussions commencing approximately two years prior to its public debut. Rocha immersed herself in the adidas ecosystem, spending time with the design team at their headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, and meticulously exploring the brand’s extensive archive of prototypes and memorabilia. This deep dive revealed the functional origins of iconic pieces that have since transcended their utilitarian purpose to become fashion staples. "Everything has a point, everything has a reason," she notes. "Nearly everything comes from an athlete at some point in their career and a functionality that they needed in a trainer or in a sports bag. Then it evolves into lifestyle. They take their heritage very seriously, which I really admire."
For this inaugural chapter, Rocha strategically focused on foundational adidas silhouettes: the Firebird, Superstar, Taekwondo, and Japan. The primary challenge was to ensure that both her distinct brand identity and that of adidas remained clearly legible within each piece. "The first collection needed to feel very, very signature to myself and adidas," she states. "How do I bring that into SR?" The solution was found in the nuanced manipulation of proportion: the deliberate expansion of a sleeve, the subtle alteration of a jacket’s cut, and the reimagining of familiar adidas fabrications within a palette that is unequivocally Simone Rocha.
Iconic Silhouettes Reimagined
The resulting collection breathes new life into beloved adidas classics. The iconic Firebird track top is reimagined as a cropped, voluminous piece, while the sleeves of the Superstar are artfully ballooned. The classic Beckenbauer track jacket is transformed with the introduction of a delicate tulle underlay beneath its familiar sporty exterior. Elsewhere, playful frills adorn the hems of trousers, the hips of skirts, and the flowing lines of dresses. Fitted leotards serve as a second skin, while the utilitarian Airline bag is rendered in luxurious broderie anglaise. A seemingly traditional lace trim reveals subtly engineered Trefoils woven into its intricate pattern, and ribbons encircle the iconic adidas motif, creating a distinctive new collaborative badge. Rocha even elevated the humble zipper pull, designing a detachable teardrop pearl—a motif that echoes her own brand’s signature—which can be easily removed for laundering. "I’m not a big logo brand," she comments, "and this is new for adidas too," underscoring the innovative nature of this partnership.
When asked to identify a single piece that best encapsulates the collaborative spirit, Rocha points to the Beckenbauer track top with its integrated tulle tutu. "It just really represents their world and my world coming together," she explains. "That piece feels very iconic."
A Bold New Direction in Footwear
The footwear component of the collection introduces three distinct silhouettes that push adidas into decidedly more coquettish territory: the SR Taekwondo Ballerina, SR Climacool, and SR Japan Fuzzy Slip On. The Taekwondo is adorned with ribbon laces and pearl-like embellishments, transforming its athletic profile into a delicate statement. The technically oriented Climacool is reinterpreted as a chic Mary Jane, while the Japan silhouette features a pony hair-effect upper and sculpted, pearl-like Three Stripes. "I’m obsessed with the Japan slip-on," Rocha enthuses, highlighting her particular fondness for this design.
The creation of footwear presented one of the collaboration’s most significant learning curves. Designing a trainer compelled Rocha to consider a novel relationship between the object and its wearer, expanding her conceptual understanding of performance wear. Throughout the collection, a recurring question guided her process: "How does it feel on the body? What can somebody do in it? Is a garment ‘a second skin,’ or ‘an extra layer of protection?’" This rigorous interrogation of functionality and wearability, a hallmark of adidas’s design philosophy, has been seamlessly integrated into Rocha’s inherently more artistic approach.
The Artistic Vision of the Campaign
The campaign accompanying the collection, shot by American photographer Justine Kurland, further amplifies the collection’s otherworldly allure. Rocha, a long-time admirer of Kurland’s seminal Girl Pictures, invited the artist to capture a cast of eleven young women, a blend of familiar faces from Rocha’s orbit and carefully selected street-cast individuals. This artistic choice, made amidst Rocha’s extensive collection of art books and fashion magazines, underscores her deep appreciation for visual storytelling. "I’ve always been very, very influenced by her work," Rocha says of Kurland. "We wanted to give this feeling of youth and realism, that they’re living in their own world. Her photos are a little bit displaced and a bit dystopian, so I liked the idea that it felt like its own world." The resulting photograph unites the cast in a singular, evocative scene, complemented by an accompanying film that shifts between individual portraits and the collective dynamic.
A Global Reach and Future Potential
As the adidas Originals x Simone Rocha collection transitions from the intimate setting of the runway into adidas’s vast global network, Rocha expresses pride in joining a distinguished roster of designers who have collaborated with the sportswear giant. "From Yohji Yamamoto to Raf Simons and Grace Wales Bonner: I’m really proud to be part of this fabulous roster," she states. The brand’s history of integrating designers with strong individual identities suggests that Rocha’s contribution will occupy a unique and celebrated space within the adidas universe. She expresses particular curiosity about the audience this collaboration will reach, noting, "I think it’ll be really interesting when it comes out, because it may be a different crowd."
This collection marks merely the commencement of an ongoing relationship, with Rocha already contemplating future directions. Her explorations may delve further into performance-specific attire, or encompass an even broader spectrum of sports and categories. Discussions of dancewear, volleyball gear, or even outfitting an Olympic team in the coming years are tantalizing possibilities, even as she concurrently oversees fittings for her upcoming Spring 2027 collection.
"There’s so much technique that has been untouched by me in their world," she muses. "That’s what I’m really excited about exploring." However, it is the emotional resonance of sport that appears to captivate her most profoundly. "The emotion of watching sport, being around sport, the team feeling—it’s such an adrenaline, emotional, dopamine thing." For a designer who has dedicated her career to exploring the emotional dimensions of dressing, the world of sport presents an expansive new frontier for creative discovery and expression.
