Christian Dada Fall/Winter 2017

In “Exhale,” the show begins with playful tunes setting the scene in the Agger Fish Building at Brooklyn Navy Yard. The warehouse was immediately filled with an unshakeable vibe with color wheel looks with structure that Rogers is also known for. The female form comes alive in a CJR look. Brushed texted coats in lime green, stripes, and meticulous tailoring were seen on the runway. Button details at the bottom of pants and at the back of coats were touches that felt like a nod to the inner child. “Exhale” felt like a dream with playful peplum shaped pieces and floral prints coming alive on sensual V-neck cut dresses.

The afterparty felt like another release. Back in the city, at Sloan’s on the second floor of The Manner, fashion A-listers danced (and drank) the night away. Snow and rain couldn’t stop them from having a good time. In collaboration with Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Rogers decided on a cocktail of the night, —an espresso martini to mark his return to New York Fashion Week. In light of the horrendous state of the world, this was a night that actually went well for a week that always goes wrong.

This collection felt like a meditation on joy. What was going through your mind preparing this collection for your first time back to NYFW in about two years?

I'm a pretty optimistic person, and always try to look at the glass half-full, and I think that point of view always comes through in the collections. I was thinking a lot about the work we were developing when we first started, and how that's evolved over the past five years, and where we're looking to grow in the future.

What made you want to return to the fashion calendar this past season?

I've been craving to once again release a body of work in tandem with my peers, and say something about the zeitgeist, albeit in our own specific way. It just felt like the right time to rejoin the fray! You did just 38 looks which you said to Vogue Runway was your smallest show yet.

What does being intentional as a designer look like to you?

Continuing to edit and grow, and deliver pieces that directly contribute to your customers' lives. The perfect suit in Japanese Tapenade wool, the perfect little black dress, the perfectly insane collectible gown, etc.

Your show came in perfect timing with heaviness throughout everything we’re witnessing. How did you explore the color wheel this time to express the message of “Exhale?”

I usually start the development of every collection with color research, and this season I was craving something a bit more grounded —Tapenade green, Sarsaparilla red, Pumpernickel brown — earthy colors that still have something to say. We punctuated these with our usual brights; Slime green, Tomato red, and Curaçao blue.

Were there any risks that you might’ve taken designing “Exhale?”

I feel that in a moment like this, sartorially, a lot of what we do is risky as it isn't based on trends. We stick to what feels right for us, but I'm grateful that we have a customer base that loves what we do season after season!

This collection’s intention to give back to your supporters felt full circle. What were you trying to teach your supporters with this collection?

To lean into all of the nuances and specificities, and quirks that make you yourself.

The soundtrack for the runway was so playful, who mixed it and what was the process of picking out the soundboard to base this collection in?

Every season we work with our Sound Director, Skype Williams, on building a runway soundscape that sounds like us and speaks to the collection. I found the opening track by Crazy P which sampled a song from Willy Wonka, and Christina from my team thought we should close with a Phillip Glass remix of a Blondie song — quite disparate moments, but Skype really helped us bring it all together.

What was the first thing you did to celebrate your collection after working on it for so long and finally seeing it all come to fruition?

The Manner was gracious enough to host our afterparty, and we celebrated at Sloane's with Johnnie Walker Blue Label cocktails.

What about Johnnie Walker Label aligns with your brand to collaborate with them for your after party?

I've been a fan of how innovative they've been with their products and how they champion bold self-expression, and I think that speaks to our sense of experimentation and play as a brand. I'm definitely a fan of an espresso martini, and to have one with whisky was surprisingly fab! Johnnie Walker really elevated the evening.

Why was it important to have a celebration after the show?

As an independent brand, we haven't been immune to the effects of the industry the last two years — to be able to be in this moment and celebrate our hard work with our team, family and friends felt like the perfect punctuation post-show.