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Who is Christopher John Rogers, the American designer adored by Zendaya and Lady Gaga?
Finalist for the LVMH 2021 Prize, Christopher John Rogers seduces the fashion and entertainment industries alike thanks to his glamorous, flamboyant collections. Focus on a designer who embodies the future of American fashion.
By Léa Zetlaoui.
Published on 18 June 2021. Updated on 19 June 2026.
Christopher John Rogers, the American designer adored by the stars
On January 20th 2021, Joe Biden officially became the 46th President of the United States. Singers Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez, as well as the young poet Amanda Gorman attended the ceremony in Washington. Beside him stood Kamala Harris, the first ever lady vice president. For the occasion, she sported a midi dress and matching coat in purple, as a reference to the flyers distributed by Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to run for president in 1972. This sober, elegant ensemble was designed by Christopher John Rogers, a young designer busy establishing himself as the future of fashion “Made in USA”.
When Christopher John Rogers presented a collection for the first time at New York Fashion Week in September 2018, a wave of departures hit the event. Several leading designers were off of the official calendar, like Alexander Wang, or presented their collections elsewhere. Proenza Schouler and Altuzarra were in Paris, Tommy Hilfiger chose London and Tom Ford picked Los Angeles.
Vacant spots were quickly filled by a flock of young designers, including Pyer Moss, Eckhaus Latta, Area and Christopher John Rogers. In just a few seasons, the latter managed to seduce the jury of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) chaired by Tom Ford, who awarded him the Vogue Fashion Fund Prize in 2019 and the Emerging Designer prize in 2020. In April 2021, Christopher John Rogers caught the eye of the jury of the LVMH Prize thanks to his glamorous and exuberant collections. Since 2013, the LVMH Prize has been supporting a new generation of international designers.
A designer following in the footsteps of great couturiers
It is impossible to remain stoic when first seeing Christopher John Rogers‘s creations. They are reminiscent of great designers, like Charles James and Christian Lacroix, and blend references to his African-American roots. Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the young designer studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design. “Growing up and studying in the American South gave me a different approach to fashion. I wasn’t influenced by the need to make pieces that were too pragmatic,” the designer told Numéro.
Mastering the art of draping and tailoring, the use of ruffles, jabots and pleats, bold volumes and sheath designs, Christopher John Rogers creates daring pieces with elaborate volumes and brilliant material effects that haven’t been seen anywhere else. “The work I do is not necessarily couture, but I like the idea that it isn’t easy to replicate. I find that very exciting. I can draw my inspiration from archive dresses, as well as bin bags, shopping bags or artwork. All of them will have the same power to translate the idea of ‘crunch’ or ‘crumple’. They have the same aesthetic power. It’s more about the energy of volumes, offering something new, and working with fabrics that inspire me more than the idea of ‘couture’,” he continued.
Like a painter, the designer applies bright colours — fuchsia, burgundy, turquoise, yellow, green, orange – vibrant patterns, abstract or figurative floral prints, wide stripes, rows of circles borrowed from the artist Victor Vasarely, or Madra-style checked fabrics to his voluminous dresses and fitted suits. His powerful designs carved out a place for themselves in the wardrobes of American stars. Christopher John Rogers‘s theatrical outfits reached Zendaya, Lil Nas X, Lady Gaga and Tessa Thompson in just a few months.
Collections to claim your own fashion style
His excessive creations may evoke the flamboyant world of ballrooms — a counterculture of dance battles and runway shows born in the 1980s in New York’s Afro and Hispanic-American LGBTQ communities. Yet, the American designer denies being directly inspired by it. “I wouldn’t say I’m directly inspired by the ballroom scene. A lot of people are making that link, but it’s not a direct reference. I’m black, American, and queer. There’s a deliberate desire to be seen and visible, and to take up space in all aspects that’s quite obvious in my work. So, I can understand the connection,” he explained. Ultimately, Christopher John Rogers‘s fashion advocates for self-affirmation. This visionary designer aims at offering everyone a chance to fully express their own personality.
