I don’t think I have ever pre-ordered anything from a designers collection before but if I were to do that, I would be mightily tempted by this look from Christopher John Rodgers 13th Collection.

Just look at that thing. The colours, the shapes, the points, the swoops, everything about it makes me smile.

The blouse and skirt and the ‘cassette striped’ dress below are inspired by the ingenuity of paper airplanes. It’s origami-tastic.

Christopher John Rogers is making quite a fashion splash, and it’s easy to see why. Since launching his label only a few seasons ago, his dramatic silhouettes, stripes, sharp tailoring and wonderfully enthusiastic use of colour have already earned him the CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year award in 2020 and lots of admiring fans.

The man also loves a ruffle and a big sleeve. As Queen Michelle always says - ‘go big or go home’ He must have read that memo, as he really takes them to the next level, which he calls ‘jumbo’. Love that.

“Based in NYC, the Christopher John Rogers brand exists to create emotional & sensitive clothing with a focus on effortful dressing, directed towards an individual with a strong sense of self. We deliver clothing with an emphasis on quality manufacturing and timeless appeal, whilst encouraging our customer to take up space.

With such a love of colour and pattern it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when Farrow & Ball were looking for a designer to collaborate with on a capsule collection, they thought of him.

Using his own library of swatches he and Charlotte Crosby, Farrow and Balls creative director, narrowed down his spectrum to 12 glorious paint colours and 3 new wallpaper patterns, with great names like Hog Plum yellow, Romesco crimson, and Shallot pink. They have called it the Carte Blanche Collection and it’s perfect for creating more playful interiors.

The walls of the palace are looking very drab and dreary now. I’m thinking they need some Lobster Blue or Hog Plum Yellow to give them a lift…

Queen Marie

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Paper, paint and aeroplanes...