New York Fashion Week is officially underway! And with it, the characteristic beauty, glamour, and effervescent anticipation that usually defines this period. Having landed a headliner spot on day one of the fashion week schedule, Christopher John Rogers makes an ecstatic return, after an intermission that lasted nearly two years.
Christopher John Rogers’ Fall/Winter collection, keeps with the label’s trademark flamboyant style. The collection leans into an eclectic mix of bright hues, bold silhouettes, and ornate tapestry. And yet the priority this time seems to be an understated type of elegance. Think the best parts of minimalism and maximalism, somehow collapsed into a singular brilliant whole.
Composed of elegant frilly dresses, ball gowns with intricate tailoring, and bold fur coats with interesting silhouettes, the looks in this collection aren’t ones you’d don to work or a casual night at the club. Instead, they look tailored for a stately occasion—an awards ceremony or a romantic dinner.
Across the sprawl of the collection, several themes recur—geometric elements and Rococo-esque patterns that bring to mind 17th-century England. But no motif features as frequently or as forcefully as the colorful stripes that hold the collection together, almost like how Pharell has made a signature of the checkered pattern in his time at the helm of Louis Vuitton.
These colorful stripes feature in almost every aspect of the collection: on the hems of dresses, on bags, on blouses, even on scarves and cardigans. The stripes seem to be inspired by the work of Rothko, a renowned 20th-century abstract artist who made a career of painting colorful striped patterns.
Christopher John Rogers’ Fall/Winter collection felt like a journey back in time to 17th-century England. Despite the collection's seamless cohesion, there was still a lot to provide excitement. With each passing minute, the show supplied moments to keep the viewer engaged and guessing. It’s also a collection laden with layers of meaning, and it’ll make even more impact as the days go by.
