Although he hails from the US state of Louisiana and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, when I first meet celebrated womenswear designer Christopher John Rogers we’re somewhere a little more provincial. It’s a small industrial estate in rural Dorset, surrounded by fields, numerous sheep and typically British heavy grey clouds.
Amid this drizzly but bucolic scene, Rogers cuts quite the figure. Statuesque, sporting yellow-lensed sunglasses and neon-striped and spotted trousers, his fingernails painted different shades of blue and green, looking at me he says, in a syrupy Southern drawl: ‘You know what? I like the sheep. They’ve been talking to us… Baaaaah!’
Unsurprisingly, it’s this look, this fun energy and boundless positivity, that has brought the designer here. That – and the fact that this unlikely location also serves as production headquarters for a world-famous decorating brand, Farrow & Ball. Having become one of fashion’s most interesting players since launching his eponymous line in 2016, Rogers is now turning his attention to interiors, and there’s some creative magic going on.
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Known for his garments in an array of kaleidoscopic colours loved by everyone from Lil Nas X and Rihanna to vice president Kamala Harris (who he dressed for her inauguration), Rogers was approached by the paint and wallpaper manufacturer in early 2022. ‘We just kept pestering him,’ says Farrow & Ball’s creative director Charlotte Cosby. ‘You can’t not be wowed by his work; the patterns and shades he uses are amazing. I never thought he’d say yes.’
Working together, they have created a collection of 12 paints, inspired by Rogers’ cherished memories of food and family, and three new wallpaper patterns, which are focused on playing with shape and scale. Each design is available in three colourways and printed with the range’s paints in the very factory where we find ourselves, watching the blocks as they daub vibrant dots and stripes on the papers whirring by. Named ‘Carte Blanche’ to convey that sense of freedom and the idea of being given creative license to express yourself with total individuality, the collection’s different paints and patterns can be combined in seemingly endless combinations.
‘I’m such a fan of design,’ says Rogers, shouting over the hum of the factory’s machines. ‘I had always heard the name Farrow & Ball in the mix, but didn’t know much about the heritage. So, when we were first introduced, I did a deep dive and I became obsessed.
‘Fashion can be fickle. I’m less concerned with trends and trying to be everything to everyone,’ he continues. ‘Being ourselves and standing the test of time is what is important, so to collaborate with a company known for having a legacy, for its tradition and the high-quality standard of its products, it was a no-brainer for me.’
The paints are bold, fresh, contemporary and – surprising for a brand like Farrow & Ball, with such variety already – still add something thrilling to its colour card. From a punchy pink ‘Shallot’ inspired by Cajun cuisine to a silvery-blue ‘Sardine’ (Rogers’ grandfather’s favourite snack) and the collection’s stand-out shade ‘Raw Tomatillo’, a glorious green based on his grandmother’s fried green tomatoes, these are not hues for the faint-hearted. ‘I love when colour names are unexpected but also reflect exactly what that shade is,’ says Rogers. ‘This blue is totally sardine as a colour for me, the pink is perfect, and “Hog Plum” is this weird, future yellow. I love that they have a sense of humour, too.’
It was originally planned as a collection of eight shades, but it soon became clear that neutrals would be needed as a counterpoint to the intense tones. ‘The interesting thing about Christopher’s work is the nuance,’ says Cosby. ‘I’ve always loved the way he balances colour. On the multicoloured garments, no one tone is singled out; they all have room to breathe. When the outfits are black or white with a pop, the colour is the focus. We’ve done the same here, so the neutrals temper the brights. You could paint an entire room in ‘Au Lait’ and the skirting in ‘Romesco’, and that would be the hero of the whole thing.’
The three wallpaper designs are where Rogers’ design handwriting is most obviously apparent. With each named after one of his signature motifs – dots, stripes and checks – they represent the brand’s first-ever wallpaper collaboration with an external creative. ‘In the past, we’ve always just stuck to our historical designs,’ says Cosby, ‘but this is really exciting because it’s so modern.’
And it is this contemporary ethos that makes the partnership so right for these times and such a fresh direction for Farrow & Ball to take. Rogers’ work is concerned with confounding expectations and subverting norms. ‘Colour has always been about expressing myself,’ he says. ‘It’s a starting point for me, but it’s not an ending. I look at things in a particular way. For me, Sesame Street is just as sophisticated as an amazing 1960s architect. I bring that lack of hierarchy to everything I do, whether it’s working on a collection of clothes or colours.’
Seemingly, Farrrow & Ball isn’t the only heritage British institution that will be getting a CJR shake-up. As Rogers heads off into the Dorset rain, his next stop is Kensington Palace for the opening of its ‘Crown to Couture’ exhibition, where an emerald gown he designed and that was worn by Lady Gaga to the 2021 MTV Awards has pride of place alongside other red-carpet dresses and equally opulent royal outfits. Above all, he seems to be enjoying the creative whirlwind with his trademark exuberance and joy. ‘I love what I do and not everyone can say that,’ he states. ‘Not everyone’s lucky enough to be in that position. And because I truly love going to work every day and doing this, it just comes out in the end product. For some people, frustration or anger is their motivation but, for me, it’s feeling good.’
The Farrow & Ball x Christopher John Rogers ‘Carte Blanche’ paint and wallpaper collection is available from September
