Christian Francis Roth is back. A fashion darling of the early Nineties, Roth is trying to make his mark again with a contemporary spring collection called Francis by Christian Francis Roth, inspired by high school cliques.
Once called “Seventh Avenue’s latest wonder boy” by WWD, Christian Francis Roth is back with a spring collection under the label Francis by Christian Francis Roth. And he certainly hasn’t lost his sense of fun. Roth calls his lineup “Gangs of New York,” and divides it up by high school cliques. The “Afterschool special” category, for example, features quirky print dresses and plaid patchwork, whereas “Twill Seekers” represent Upper East Side prepsters with their logoed polos. But the designer, who made a splash in 1990 with Crayola dresses (complete with “Rothola” lettering on the sleeves), still loves a little controversy. This time, he co-opts a 1972 subway map print and an iconic alligator eating a very familiar-looking polo player.