In 2022, journalist Alina Cho invited Louisiana-born, New York-based designer Christopher John Rogers to join her onstage at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for her The Atelier conversation series. Now, nearly three summers later, Rogers joined Cho once more—this time at Genesis House—to co-host an intimate dinner celebrating the season.

“In a world that can be black and white, and in a city that celebrates a mostly black wardrobe,” Cho said during cocktail hour, “Christopher sees in color—vibrant color.” That much was on display last night, as friends of Rogers and his much-beloved label arrived in what looked like a retrospective of some of his greatest hits: ballooning and iridescent harem pants, exuberant printed blouses and button-downs, ruffles and rainbows galore. In attendance were editors along with stylist and consultant Amanda Murray, film director Pam Nasr, editor and actor Blake Abbie, and more.

“Before my conversation with Alina back in 2022, I knew of her as an iconic television correspondent and journalist, revered for her years in the industry,” Rogers told Vogue last night. “During our conversation, I realized not only how thorough she was, but how much she truly cared about what she was covering. We spoke about the nuances of our journey as an independent, self-funded brand, and we’ve become good friends in the years since.”

This has been a challenging time for independent designers in America and beyond, a point Rogers underscored in his welcoming remarks before thanking the group for their support. “It’s a beautiful thing to have a community that sees you and understands you,” he said.

Cho has been hosting salon dinners at Genesis House for several years now, inviting designers to toast their creative communities. She’s previously done so—most notably—with winners of the CFDA Award for American Womenswear Designer of the Year: Brandon Maxwell, Catherine Holstein of Khaite, and now Rogers.

“Alina asked to host us for a dinner at Genesis House, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to toast the summer season and honor our close-knit community of ‘squirrels’ who have supported us thus far,” Rogers said. “Everyone here is deeply important to us as a brand and showcases a different facet of the CJR person—that eclecticism is deeply important to me, and deeply, deeply New York.”