Emerging Designers: Christopher John Rogers

Meet Christopher John Rogers. By now you should’ve heard of this Baton Rouge, Louisiana native, after his recent meteoric rise as his designs have been worn by some of the biggest names in Hollywood and beyond. In 2021, he won America’s top award for womenswear design. Rogers’ big break came in 2017 at the age of 23 when Cardi B wore his jacket to the BET Hip Hop Awards. Since then, the rest is literally  history. Vice President Kamala Harris wore Christopher John Rogers to her historic inauguration.

Now, it’s hard to name an A-lister who has not worn one of his designs, which are bold and elegant. He has described his clothes as “a debutante ball thrown at Stonehenge and illustrated by Dr. Seuss,” but he still can do a great monochromatic vibe.

It’s very rare for a designer outside Europe to ascend to the highest heights of luxury, especially one of color, placing him in the same company as Oscar de la Renta, Sergio Hudson, and the late Virgil Abloh. Many luxury brands like Loewe and Louis Vuitton were established when Blacks were still enslaved in America. Across the diaspora, we are witnessing fresh perspective and contributions to the fashion world and we are here for it. You can support him by following on Instagram at @christopherjohnrogers and, of course, buying his clothing. And, if you do, I recommend buying from McMullen, a Black-owned luxury boutique in Oakland, California that was the first to carry his line.