Originally from the north-east of Spain, María Rocatín studied Fashion Design and Creative Direction at Istituto Europeo di Design in Madrid before moving to London after a three-year break from fashion. María describes her time at Central Saint Martins as a year of self-discovery in a free, limitless world. From Disney princesses to her grandmother’s old fabrics, the designer’s final collection is deeply influenced by both her past and present. Since childhood, María has been intrigued by the magic of royalty as portrayed in Walt Disney films. Through the creative process, her fascination with Disney princesses resurfaced from her subconscious and found its way into her collection. “It’s like therapy for me. It brings up a lot of things that I didn’t know about myself. If I didn’t design, I wouldn’t have found out about it,” she says.
As heavily as the global COVID-19 crisis has impacted María’s work, it has also creatively enforced it. Despite the lack of equipment and resources, the situation brought a new layer of meaning to her work. She has included leftover fabrics, such as duvet covers that once belonged to her beloved grandmother, and found inspiration in her mother’s wedding dress – a process of research that has added depth to the collection and strengthened its theme of childhood and fantasy. María Rocatín’s looks combine off-white with pastels in voluminous, multi-layered pieces. Her penchant for shiny fabrics can be seen in a pink satin pussy bow blouse with puffed sleeves. A heavily shirred pyjama top clings tightly to the body, the collar adorned with a myriad of individually draped roses. The puffed sleeves and wide skirt of a white minidress create the illusion of the body surrounded by a cloud. The many delicate flowers, paired with shimmering fabrics and feminine cuts, collectively reinforce the narrative of the magical and fantastical that are so central to María’s collection.
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