An Interview With New York Designer Christopher John Rogers

Christopher John Rogers might be a newcomer to the fashion scene, showing only his second NYFW collection last Tuesday, but he’s made it clear his designs aren’t for the faint of heart. With his fanciful creations and whimsical storytelling, the 24-year-old designer is putting NYFW back on the map as a breeding ground for glamour — Rogers’s re-imagination of it, that is.

His debut collection was inspired by his Southern Baptist upbringing, but also midcentury-modern couture and a deserted Californian beach. This season, Rogers wanted to show his growth as a designer and that he is a serious contender among both young and seasoned designers. Inspired by archival dressmaking and grandiose celebrations, Rogers summed it up as “a debutante ball thrown at Stonehenge and illustrated by Dr. Seuss.”

The 24-year-old designer’s ability to pull inspiration from places that one wouldn’t immediately think of together is as innate as his ability to create wearable drama. His voluminous ball gowns make you feel fantastic even by just looking at them and ooze a sense of endless glamour, playfulness, and humor.

At his presentation last week, the atmosphere was buzzing and people did not want to leave — quite literally, I stayed for the entire hour and a half and got the hint it was time to leave once the lights turned on. Guests were enchanted by tiered ruffled gowns and crisp suiting with added feathers and the hand-painted corset bodices that Rogers collaborated on with his friend and artist Drake Carr. Models stood on and next to concrete-like platforms surrounded by tall sculptures that could easily be in a museum. Rogers worked with artists Kristen Wentrcek and Andrew Zebulon on these repurposed styrofoam sculptures and furniture used as props throughout the presentation.

It is a wonder how Rogers does it; maintaining a full-time job as a designer at Diane von Furstenberg while running his eponymous label can’t be easy. But there is no doubt that this is only the beginning for him.

Teen Vogue talked with Rogers about what inspired his collection, how luxury pieces can still be wearable, and what’s next for his line.

Teen Vogue: Tell me about yourself. What is your cultural background, and has it had an impact on your design style?

Christopher John Rogers: I'm African-American, and I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which is basically a large small town. I was fortunate enough to have my parents put me in art classes pretty early on, at the suggestion of my grandmother, and I was always surrounded by people of various backgrounds. My best friends in elementary school were Korean, Jewish, South American, you name it. I've always known variety to be standard.

TV: When did you know you wanted to create your own line?

CJR: I've wanted to work in the arts since I was young, and I've always been pretty self-directed, so it only made sense. I used to be obsessed with anime and manga like Sailor Moon, Cardcaptors, Digimon, and Pokemon and was drawing my own comic strip one day when my classmate mentioned how all of the characters never changed outfits. Ever since then I've kind of investigated the way that clothes can transform and self-actualized and transmit power. I've worked really, really hard to be able to create work on my own terms and display it in the ways that my team and I have so far, so I'm super proud of that.

TV: Did social media play a role in the rise of your brand?

CJR: Absolutely! If it wasn't for Instagram and that nifty little DM button, I don't know that Christopher John Rogers would be as successful as it has been so far.

TV: As a young, black, and queer male designer in the industry, how do you want to influence the industry to do better and be better?

CJR: It's honestly just about letting people in the door and encouraging them to speak, letting them know that their voice is critical to the system's success, and actually implementing that change where possible. It's super simple. Whether it's publishing, styling, writing, designing, production, or finance, we need individuals from a myriad of backgrounds to drive this industry firmly into the 21st century.

TV: Your second collection feels more refined and "grown-up," yet you still kept your signature whimsical flair. What was the inspiration behind this collection?

CJR: We work mostly based on emotion and color, and how those colors are composed and arranged within a garment as opposed to an official theme. This season we looked at a myriad of references — archival, zoomed-in dressmaking references from the ’50s, vintage aspic dinners, exotic animals, and street debris. The best way to explain it: a debutante ball thrown at Stonehenge and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. Huge skirts, specific colors, graphic prints, and strong tailoring.

TV: You truly have made your own lane for your work. How does this make you feel?

CJR: It feels amazing! I've never really been the cool kid, or one to follow trends, I've only known how to do what comes naturally to me. We don't look at what anyone else is doing and don't care to.

TV: You do a great job of creating luxury pieces while maintaining each item’s wearability. Do you feel at times you sacrifice a creative vision in order to make a look more wearable?

CJR: Not really. A lot of our work lives in the tension between high-octane drama and straightforward American pragmatism. I love garments that teeter and oscillate between those two planes, it depends on how they are styled.

TV: Both you and your business partner have full-time jobs outside of your label. How did you manage to produce a collection and keep up with sample trafficking?

CJR: We actually have an official team of four (with full-time jobs), along with a myriad of friends who come over and help us sew in the evenings. I'm a control freak when it comes to execution and quality, but I've learned to let go somewhat this season and allow people that want to help out put their personal touches on the clothes. CJR is a community of people in New York who crave glamour, relish in fantasy, and feel that it's missing here. It's more than just my two hands, which I'm very thankful for.

TV: If you could dress anyone, who would you want to see wearing your designs?

CJR: I’ve already had my dream of dressing Tracee Ellis Ross accomplished, but I'm dying to dress Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, or Lupita Nyong'o. Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are also progressive women that I feel would be amazing in the clothes.

TV: What's next for Christopher John Rogers?

CJR: A STUDIO! And a few stockists, if the girls are smart.

Naomi Elizée is the fashion market assistant at Vogue and a Teen Vogue contributor.