Jamaican-born designer Jessica Ogden and A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou have a lot in common. "We share a passion for check prints and a desire for riding motorbikes and driving speedboats" says Ogden. "It sounds very bling, but it's really about the high-energy rush of it all." Such energy levels are sure to be matched over the coming weeks when die-hard fashion fans hear that A.P.C.'s mini-line, Madras, which Ogden and Touitou have collaborated on since 2002, is about to expand into its own full-fledged 30-piece collection. The Madras range initially developed after Toutitou saw a documentary on French television about a businessman living in India. "Three weeks later, we were visiting local factories in Chennai, the place formerly known as Madras," explains Ogden. "So I guess you could say the voyage was about our search for Madras in Madras, which is a perfect example of Jean's sense of humor." Ogden's favorite piece in the new collection? A roll-up-sleeved blouse in red, white, and blue madras check. "The cut of it reminds me of preppy America," she says, adding, "I feel like I know these garments better than anyone—so much so that I even have dreams about the kind of people who will wear them."