No Raves for Rogan

After blogging about it incessantly, I was finally able to view (in store, and in person) the highly anticipated Rogan Gregory Go International line, which debuted at Target today. And I hate to say it, but my feelings are mixed. On the positive side: the line seems to be well thought out, well-constructed, and the most cohesive Go International line since Patrick Robinson’s collection from last summer. You can tell that Rogan spent time planning out and creating this collection, and that he had fun bringing his eco-wear to the masses. However, these are hardly clothes one can actually wear, unless you are A) a teenager, or B) a size zero starlet (which is probably why the Hollywood set went ga-ga over his collection last week).

While I love the look of the clothes, they are for a select (and skinny) few. Take a look at the swimsuit offerings; even by swimwear standards these suits are skimpy. Then there’s the shorts, which look more like hotpants from the 1960’s. And the few pieces I’d actually wear, like this slouchy sweater or drapy blouse are made of materials so translucent that there’s no way you can wear them without a cami underneath (which, given the beauty of the fabrics, takes away from the overall look).

And then there’s this dress (pictured) which looks NOTHING like this in real life. First off, it’s longer than mini-length (which is not such a bad thing) but it doesn’t have cap sleeves – it’s actually sleeveless. Buyers beware if you’re buying this dress online, sight unseen.

I wanted to love Rogan, really I did. But I don't. All I can say is that if you’re really young and really thin, go for it. The rest of us will have to wait for Target to come up with designer offerings that appeal to a wider audience.