Since 2010, Simone Rocha has been a stalwart name on the London Fashion Week schedule, delivering her romantic take on womenswear. In 2022, the Irish designer began gradually introducing menswear looks into her mainline collections, presenting masculine silhouettes adorned with the same frills, ribbons and whimsy that define her girls. This season, Rocha relocated to Florence, showing her inaugural menswear collection at Pitti Uomo as this edition’s guest designer, joining an illustrious roster of past invitees, including Raf Simons, Dries Van Noten, Craig Green and Martine Rose.

For her first show outside of the British capital, Rocha took over the Teatro della Pergola, a 17th-century opera house in the heart of Florence, with guests seated on the stage, in the stalls and in the velvet boxes elevated around the auditorium. “It’s so beautiful, and for me it was the perfect background. I wanted the men to be the main characters of this chapter; I wanted them to perform,” the designer told us ahead of the show. An opulent show venue has become somewhat of a staple for Rocha. Earlier this year, she held her FW26 womenswear show in the restored Victorian theatre of Alexandra Palace, and has previously invited guests inside The Old Bailey and the official Lord Mayor’s residence in Mansion House.

The historic theatre felt like a fitting backdrop for Rocha’s man to make his big debut. When beginning to shape this cast of characters, the designer’s instincts led her to E. M. Forster’s A Room With A View, aptly set in turn-of-the-century Florence. Notions of romance and rebellion materialised in the clothes, alongside the brooding passion and free spirit of Forster’s hero, George Emerson. At a moment when rigid Edwardian social norms were beginning to be challenged, Rocha found a parallel for her own approach to menswear, taking traditional menswear silhouettes and twisting them into something new entirely and distinctly her own. Structured suiting appeared to be just that at first glance, but as models hit the stage, it became apparent that backs were cut out to reveal frills or lace finishings, or paired with chiffon crinoline-style dresses worn underneath. White broderie anglaise boxer shorts and shirts walked alongside leather aprons embellished with beading or paired with gingham shirting, as models clutched bouquets of cornflowers or feather boas.

Costumes from the novel’s 1986 cinematic adaptation by James Ivory are felt in the lace organza tanks, pleated wide-leg trousers, and fair-isle knitwear. Cropped car coats were paired with shorts and balletic-style trainers, blousons were built from double-layered taffeta and smock-style garments were fleshed out in padded satin. Leaning heavily into the idea of a character study, each look was explained in detail in the designer’s show notes, listed alongside the model’s name and country of residence – an interesting alternative to the end credits of a movie. As Rocha’s cast returned to the stage for a final act, they took their bow to rousing applause.