Mr. Rogers' Rainbow Neighborhood
No, not that Mr. Rogers — Christopher John Rogers. CJR is a little new to the fashion scene, but is far from inexperienced. Fresh out of college, Rogers began designing under Diane von Fürstenberg. Just last year, CJR won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and debuted his first ever fashion week runway debut… fast forward to this year and he has his designs flashing on the covers of Vogue, In-Style and Vanity Fair every other month. He’s been in big conversations over the past few years, but hasn’t quite made himself into a household name yet.
He is known for his eccentric use of bold color and ‘80s flair that the world of fashion so desperately needs now. Fashion has been on the cusp of a movement toward minimalism and neutral tones, and that could not be further from Rogers’ playful visions. Let's take a walk through the Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood that’s splashed with big names in big colors on every corner beneath the CJR rainbow.
Red is the color of passion and intensity. Beyoncé appears on the cover of British Vogue December 2020 in a contoured, bias-cut, silk crepe and satin faced silk organza custom evening frock in crawfish. Actress Kristen Stewart wore a CJR FW20 merlot crepe tailored, color-blocked blazer and wide leg trouser for In-Style November 2020. Latin singer-songwriter Rosalía wore this same ensemble for ELLE June 2020. Spanish actress Ana de Armas wore a rose red CJR SS20 ostrich and turkey feather bustier and cotton twill cargo pants for Porter Magazine March 2020. For her collaboration music video, All The Stars, with Kendrick Lamar in 2018, SZA wore a CJR red multi-hued taffeta bustier and crawfish suiting trouser.
Orange symbolizes optimism and creativity. Gabrielle Union-Wade wore a pintucked silk taffeta cherry tomato dress during Paris Fashion Week 2020. Last year, Rihanna wore the CJR SS20 wiggle dress in electric grapefruit confetti dot stretch velveteen to celebrate the launch of Fenty Beauty in Korea, September 2019.
The color yellow evokes warmth and happiness. Most people are working from home right now, but Gab Union WERKS from home in a CJR macaroni colorblocked relaxed crepe suit that ranges from lemon to mustard yellow. Actress Tessa Thompson was styled in CJR SS19 golden delicious shimmer satin button-down collared robe. Normani Kordei Hamilton wore CJR FW20 oversized macaroni cotton twill floral tailored suit for Teen Vogue. Priyanka Chopra stunned in CJR FW19 flamin’ hot Cheeto tulle evening blouse and ball skirt for ELLE UK August 2019. Zendaya wore the same CJR yellow ruffle dress for BVLGARI.
Green is the color of harmony and growth. Quite a few of Rogers’ looks that make it to mainstream media are some glamorous variation of green. Halle Bailey wore CJR FW20 iridescent bayou green Italian brocade and crinkled silk taffeta cropped evening blouse and tailored silk and wool cargo trouser for Vanity Fair. Lizzo wore a tennis ball custom CJR gown for the 2019 GLAAD Awards. She also wore a custom electric seafoam stretch mesh with hand-sewn ostrich feather neckline for the 2019 MTV Movie Awards. Tracee Ellis Ross wore a lime green chiffon dress for Porter Magazine May 2020. Jameela Jamil wore CJR SS20 tennis ball silk charmeuse and pleated poplin for the 2019 CVFF Awards. Lil Nas X wore a custom CJR slime green silk wool fully tailored suit with metallic flocked stretch velvet zebra print tee and matching zebra print opera evening gloves for the 2019 American Music Award. Kim Petras wore a CJR SS19 metallic toucan green tailored blazer with Swarovski crystals for Gay Times. Lady Gaga sported a Baja Blast silk taffeta ball skirt and cropped kimono blouse for the 2020 VMAs while accepting her award for Song of the Year. Dua Lipa wore the same gown for Vogue’s Best of New York Collections featured in her own ‘90s sitcom titled Dua’s World! Regina King wore a SS20 spinach silk wool tailored suit for an Emmys afterparty. Michelle Obama wore a custom iridescent cyan CJR tailored suit with Swarovski crystal buttons for the last stop on her Becoming book tour in Nashville, Tennessee.
Blue represents serenity, trust and loyalty. Chloe Bailey wore FW20 handruched, oyster grey and thistle silk taffeta corseted swag-sleeve bustier and elastic-waist wide leg metallic taffeta trouser for Vanity Fair. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a custom CJR silk and wool tailored suit for the December 2020 issue of Vanity Fair. Karlie Kloss wore a CJR SS19 pleated cunningham blue silk charmeuse slit dress with matching heels.
Purple symbolizes luxury and power. Zendaya wore FW20 open-neck strawberry dress in uva moiré and iridescent silk taffeta with BVLGARI jewels for her historic 2020 Emmy win. Tracee Ellis Ross wore a CJR FW2020 double-shoulder-padded, swagged-bust, iridescent eggplant (Barney purple and ultraviolet shift) velvet gown with interior boning, lined with uva silk charmeuse for the NAACP Image Awards. She also wore FW19 plaid taffeta football blouse and moiré strapless bustier dress for Cultured Magazine’s Living Legends Issue.
Pink symbolizes romance and playfulness. Zendaya wore a CJR FW20 zinnia plaid confection for In-Style. Gab Union wore a fuchsia tailored lurex crystal suit from FA19 to honor the #BlackFashionCollective. Tracee Ellis Ross wore SS20 magenta cloud blouse and strawberry skirt in hibiscus silk taffeta. Alek Wek wore a white zinfandel silk taffeta evening gown from FW20 for Vogue Italia. Cardi B wore an Eddie fox, mink and ostrich intarsia coat for the BET Hip Hop Awards with a hot pink ostrich velour bodysuit with crystallized bra.
Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood has never been so bright. In the past seven months, Rogers has had more than 10 major press placements. No matter what the future brings for fashion, we can always look to Christopher John Rogers to bring splashes of color to what can be a rather gray and mundane world.
By: Ryán Salamo
Instagram: @astr0man74