Fashion house Zankov unveiled its Fall Winter 2026 collection on February 12, 2026, during New York Fashion Week. DSCENE Magazine secured exclusive backstage access, with fashion photographer Katie Borrazzo documenting the show’s final preparations. The collection continued the brand’s evolving dialogue, treating each season as a continuation shaped by reflection, immediacy, and honesty. It drew energy from women who inspire and challenge boundaries in their daily lives. Zankov approached design as an active mix of references, attitudes, and instincts, where friction enhances visual impact and comfort emerges from tension.
BACKSTAGE
This season explored a subdued palette while pushing silhouettes beyond expected occasions. Zankov combined color, materiality, and texture to generate tension within each look. Knitted suits in viscose crêpes and brushed alpacas entered dialogue with Melton wool tailoring. Double face knitted velour transitioned between day and evening, interacting with turquoise silk charmeuse, oversized paillettes, and netted macramé beading. Each pairing emphasized contrast through fabrication and surface.
Knitwear carried graphic and nostalgic elements through argyles, jacquards, reverse knit argyles, knitted buckles, and pattern treatments. Other pieces featured draped and sculpted cashmere or lurex gowns. Silk cady introduced shine in sculpted miniskirts and interacted with wool jersey in charcoal mélange, black, and ink, introducing ease into eveningwear. Stripes appeared extra fine in merino wool, bias cut satin, diagonal knit velvet, and vertically slashed cashmere with lurex. The collection also incorporated alpaca jacquards, bias wool jersey, handknit bouclé fringe, space dye cashmere, double face knit velour, oversized paillettes, draped cashmere, and wool crêpe jersey.
ZANKOV FW26 LOOKS
Jewelry collaborations reinforced the collection’s focus on material exploration. Zankov partnered with Heath Wagoner on sterling silver pieces crafted by hand in his Brooklyn studio. The collaboration examined metal through techniques that echo fabric behavior. Inspired by ripples and astronomy, the pieces offered versatility through multiple interpretations and introduced solid metal into Zankov’s vocabulary.
The ongoing collaboration with Presley Oldham evolved further this season. Tassel necklaces featured beads cascading from chunky gemstones, drawing from the image of an exploding star. Collar necklaces combined structure with beaded fringe extending from tulle mesh. Cuffs incorporated long beaded fringe designed to elongate the arms. The jewelry retained tension consistent with earlier collaborations, presenting a kaleidoscopic collection shaped by accumulated references and shared language.
Footwear for the show came through a partnership with The RealReal, which served as Official Footwear Sponsor. This collaboration supports circularity by extending the lifecycle of luxury items through reconsignment.
Follow Katie Borrazzo on instagram – @katieborrazzo
