CHRISTOPHER JOHN ROGERS
Much has been made of Christopher John Rogers’ ascent. Upon graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design, he moved to New York and landed a job at Diane von Furstenberg. In 2018, while still working full-time, he secured a slot on the official New York Fashion Week calendar under his own name. His S/S20 collection, also his runway debut, garnered him the 2019 CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund prize and a mentorship with Tory Burch CEO Pierre-yves Roussel. Rogers’ aesthetic is rooted in his childhood in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the pride and self-respect that’s synonymous with donning your Sunday best for church. ‘My parents [taught] me that when I leave the house, I must look my best and give no excuse for someone to treat me badly,’ shares Rogers, who is now 26. ‘The idea of making sure that the shirt matched the pant matched the shoe, my love of a monochromatic look stems from that. I’ve always loved really bright colours, graphic combinations, the contrast of black and white. These are motifs that continually show up in the work. ‘I’ve never really led with my Blackness and I’ve never really led with my queerness either, because for me, they’ve been inescapable,’ says Rogers. However, he adds, ‘I felt like fucking with expectations was integral to my expression. If something was monochromatic, the shirt would be Kelly green, the tie would be fluorescent lime. They might not have “matched”, but there was a synergy, an understanding [of] putting myself together.’ His latest collection reinterprets the work of Madame Grès through tweaked proportions and amorphous shapes that mimic the crumpled texture and volume of a garbage bag. In shades like tangerine and fuchsia, it was a hit of the season. It’s about ‘being unapologetic about who you are’, he affirms.