Alessandro Vigilante’s pre-fall 2025 mood board for Rochas left little space for misunderstanding: it was plastered with charming images of Hélène Rochas, who it would be limiting to describe as just the third wife of the house’s founder.
Model, mother, savvy businesswoman — the first female chief executive officer in France — art collector, socialite, trendsetter: the list would go on and on in the words of the Italian designer, who was fascinated by the multifaceted charm of the woman and found in her combination of elegance, strength and brains his ultimate muse.
Vigilante took cues from her impeccable style and imbued her confident femininity in a lively collection of eccentric sophistication. Especially when broken down to single pieces, it offered many covetable options to elevate one’s wardrobe via easy shapes in rich textures.
Soft wool, matte brocades, marbled cotton, shiny satin viscose, polka-dot silk chiffon and delicate lace offered opulence but in lightweight constructions, apt for today’s fast-paced and on-the go lifestyle and quest for comfort.
Tailoring immediately linked to Vigilante’s muse, with gray wool pinstripe suits and a new shape of blazer jackets fitted around the body but with blousy sleeves. Fluid or crisp pussy-bow shirts also in generous, rounded volumes added to the reference, bringing some drama with minimum effort.
For more of that, puffy sleeves informed a beautiful cropped jacket and a midi frock, which were either cut in wool or in leopard or floral stretch brocades, while a ‘60s-inspired, five-button peacoat stood out in all its scarlet glory. Romantic bows and lingerie-inspired details profusely ran through the lineup, trimming ethereal tops and slip dresses as well as appearing on tapered pants and pencil skirts.
In Vigilante’s vision, each piece could be dressed up or down according to the occasion, worn in coordinated sets or mix-and-matched for extra impact. This season he relied heavily on layering, as he aimed to convey a “measured extravagance” that could express the Rochas woman’s “love for clothes and for playing with them lightheartedly.”
