In conversation with Rodney Gerritt Patterson, founder and fashion designer of a sensational new men’s knitwear line called RODGER.  Rodney (We know it’s slightly confusing… Rodney from RODGER) tells LookBooks about his new line and the surprising path he took to get where he is today.

You brought to life RODGER, an extraordinary, young men’s knitwear line. When did you launch RODGER and what motivated you to do so?

RODGER was launched on June 1st 2009. I developed this brand out of a need for personal expression. With several years of experience in visual merchandising behind me, the time had come for me to do my own thing.What is your background in fashion? What sequence of events has lead up to where you are today?My most recent career is in fashion merchandising. I used to work for Cole Haan and several other fashion houses.  Prior to being a visual merchandiser I also worked as a stylist and as a fashion designer of a women’s sportswear collection, which is where I established a lot of my aesthetic and developed a lot of my skills.So you are a self-taught designer?Yes, I am completely self-taught. The whole brand is still a one-man show at the moment. I do everything from designing, making samples to conceptualizing advertisements and the look books.Was being a fashion designer always your dream?Yes, absolutely! Ever since I finished high school. Earlier on, I wanted to be an architect and I studied drafting. My background in drafting has helped me as a fashion designer. A lot of the clothing I design has a bit of an architectural edge to it.

How would you describe your collections for RODGER?I would describe them as androgynous, edgy and dark. However when I say dark I mean the mood not necessarily the color. My collections are very free-spirited (?) and hopefully they’re sexy too!Could you see women wearing your Spring 2010 collection?Yes, absolutely. There is no reason why they shouldn’t.Then who are you designing for and what inspires you?The original intent of the line was to create a unique and non-conformist menswear line at an approachable price point. The customer I am designing for is the 19 - 45 year old male who works in some sort of creative occupation and is a free spirit.What inspires me is great design. During the time prior to my career as a fashion designer I have always been collecting great design including furniture, extraordinary clothing as well as coffee table books about great design.How about distribution? Where can RODGER be purchased and what is the price range?Prices range from $90 to $340. I am in the process of finding a lot of my distributors right now but I can already tell you that Oak will be one of the New York stores carrying my line.Let’s talk about the future. What are your plans for the company?Overall you can expect much more than just a fashion sweat line from RODGER.This fall, RODGER is going to take on a bit of a different look. There will be a lot more layering going on in the fall collection and there will be a lot more variation in styles.For the more distant future I hope that I will be able to turn RODGER into a global brand with a head to toe look including accessories and leather goods.Did you ever think about a women’s wear line?Yes of course. Ideally RODGER will also extend into women’s wear at some point in the future.How did you come up with the name ‘RODGER’?My full name is Rodney Gerritt Patterson. So RODGER are the first three letters of my first and middle name. However I actually just liked the name and later realized that it happened to be those letters…Is there anything else you would like to share with LookBooks?I see myself as someone who designs clothing rather than as a fashion designer. I don’t like to focus on myself but rather on the collections that I make. If I saw myself as a fashion designer I would have called my brand ‘Rodney Patterson’.People should be celebrated for what they do rather than for who they are.

Visit Rodney's profile at Rodgerny

- Catharina Duval de Navarre