During NYFW, Christopher John Rogers Hosted a Salon-Style Show for the Vogue100

Christopher John Rogers and Vogue100 hosted a cocktail reception and salon-style show to celebrate New York Fashion Week. Editors, artists, and girls and boys about town found refuge from the rain that showered Manhattan at 23 Grand, the airy SoHo haunt. José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue.com’s fashion news writer, sporting a vibrant CJR look himself, served as a co-host.

DJ Tony Jackson played tracks, keeping energy high for even the most run-down fashion week devotees. Michelle Pelletier, the founder of Love Me Not floral boutique, provided an abundance of beauty and life within the space. Waiters circulated glasses of Cloudy Bay wine, Belvedere hibiscus lemonade cocktails, and Volcan de mi Tierra Tequila spicy margaritas.

The event attracted a colorful cast of characters. Linda Fargo, the silver-haired queen of Bergdorf Goodman, held court in one of the bistro’s blue banquettes. The legendary stylist credited with uniting high fashion and hip hop, June Ambrose, chatted with Marsai Martin, the star of Blackish and a rising It girl. Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell—finalists in the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund competition that Rogers won in 2019—took a break from preparing for their runway show later in the week. Cultural commentator Evan Ross Katz wore a psychedelic shirt while Jordan Rand, in his blue and white set, blended into the abstract canvas behind him. In a sea of color, dancer Violetta Komyshan stood out in her elegant black dress.

After an hour or so, guests moved to their seats for a salon-style presentation. Models in looks from Christopher’s Collection 12, his latest, walked through the space. Attendees sipped Champagne and whispered their reactions to each magnificent dress. The setup drew inspiration from early twentieth-century fashion shows, in which clothes were casually presented in intimate settings.

Afterward, the designer mingled with his friends and supporters. As the afternoon faded into eventing, guests scurried off to shows, fittings, parties, and whatever the night held in store. In a week marked by spectacle and chaos, the afternoon allowed for connection and creativity.