When referring to Christopher John Rogers, the fashion girls would describe the talented designer as the moment — which is an accurate description. Since launching the fashion brand in 2016, the NYC-based designer has built his own colorful and whimsical world through fashion design, and his eponymous label has become beloved by the most stylish celebrities, including Beyoncé and Tracee Ellis Ross. After an impressive year, the CFDA presented John Rogers with the award for American Womenswear Designer of the Year.
In 2021, Rogers accomplished a good deal of notable achievements. During the spring, he announced his first collaboration with Target and designed a collection of vibrant dresses in sizes ranging from XXS to 4X, which all retailed under $100 — luxury at an accessible price. After the collection officially hit stores, Christopher John Rogers x Target flooded the streets and our social media timelines as every stylish woman grabbed what they could from the drop. Fast forward a bit, John Rogers’s designs were also worn by three of the eight models on the cover of the September issue of Vogue — another undeniably iconic moment.
When Gossip Girl previewed this year’s reboot, it was the scene staging a Christopher John Rogers fashion show that stirred excitement. Rogers is a master of color and crafting timeless designs, while maintaining a spirit of new innovation and pushing the needle in fashion. His designs are pleasing to the eye and he genuinely makes fashion fun through designing fantastical garments, and making them practical at the same time. Through the sculptural silhouettes, blending of patterns, and bright hues, the brand’s designs strike emotion with each piece.
This year, John Rogers also dressed Vice President Kamala Harris for the inauguration and designed costumes for the performers at New York City Ballet’s annual Fall Fashion Gala, which was the most perfect fit for his magical designs. In a time of uncertainty and gradually recovering from the national pandemic, the 2019 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner gives us hope and a joyful outlook with his perspective on fashion. During Paris Fashion Week, Christopher John Rogers was one of the select American designers that contributed to the tribute fashion show to celebrate Alber Elbaz, who is one of the designer’s inspirations to this day.
John Rogers undoubtedly brings something new to the industry, and offers ideas that energize American fashion. He celebrates women and their figures in the most beautiful and empowering way, so crowning him as the CFDA American Womenswear Designer of the Year is suitable, and today, we celebrate you, Christopher John Rogers. Congratulations and well done!