Christopher John Rogers Receives a Standing Ovation at His NYFW Runway Debut

The budding designer's show will be a must-see for seasons to come.

It's not often that you see so many designers in one place, especially during a busy time like New York Fashion Week, but a slew of them, including Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss, Joseph Altuzarra, Adam Selman, Diane von Furstenberg, Alejandra Alonso Rojas and more, took the time to support Christopher John Rogers. The budding designer, CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist and SCAD alum made his anticipated runway debut on Saturday — a year since he started showing at NYFW and two years since we asked if he could become the next big name in American luxury fashion.

At this point, the chances of that seem very high, as the Baton Rouge-born, Brooklyn-based 25-year-old received a well-deserved standing ovation after presenting his Spring 2020 collection. For his first-ever runway show, Rogers dove into what he's been doing well so far: creating dramatic eveningwear — loaded with volume, ruffles, tulle and, above all, color — and glamorous tailoring, which you may have seen before on Michelle Obama, who wore her own custom suit in May. He also experimented with more wearable options (these pieces need to sell at retailers, after all) while staying true to his design codes, like workwear pants made from luxe fabrics and button-down shirts embellished with Swarovski crystals.

While the clothes alone inspired showgoers to document every look that went down the runway, the models — a mix of Rogers's longtime muses and industry faces from his wish list — attracted even more attention. They showcased the clothes with multiple turns and spins along the catwalk, posing and playing it up for the cameras. It's obvious how infectiously charming Rogers's clothes (and the designer himself) can be, and it's about time we got to experience that with a traditional runway show. If he continues to follow this same format for seasons to come, his namesake brand will surely be a must-see for everyone.

See every look from the collection in the gallery below.

View the 35 images of this gallery on the original article

Sign up for our daily newsletter and get the latest industry news in your inbox every day.