Designers- Roger Gary

Speaking with designer Roger Gary this week, I not only got a feel for his up coming collection of women's wear, inspired by an imaginary midnight visit to the South American rainforests, but I also got a feel for what makes his designs truly unique. Gary's beautifully unpredictable work has been seen in various publications including Essence Magazine and industry go to guide Women's Wear Daily, as well as on BET's "Rip the Runway" and VH1/Vogue First Fashion Awards. Born in Guyana, South America, Gary often draws from the colorful landscape of his homeland when working. During our interview he told me that he finds inspiration in everything from the simple to the unusual, citing a past collection he presented after Halle Berry won her Oscar in 2002, " After her win she was talking about starting work on a James Bond film, then I thought Bond and my next collection was based on the James Bond films." Turning back to his company and his successes as a designer he informed me that listening to his inner voice and being just as careful in the end as he is in the beginning have helped him immensely, "You have to make sure that the quality level at the beginning is maintained. You can't rush to finish things." This advice, I'm sure, has proved helpful for Gary not only in his career as a designer but also in his years as a student at both the Pratt Institute and Parsons School of Design. We ended our conversation with a look at the future of Roger Gary Designs by Gary telling me that he lets things evolve organically, "I'm pleasantly surprised by how things have gone and I want to continue to grow the company. You have to let things happen naturally you can't force them." If letting things evolve naturally has lead to such a successful career for Gary, the natural evolution for years to come will surely be both exciting and inspiring. By Anastassia Simon