Zankov Fall/Winter 2026 opens with bold color blocking and textural contrast at NYFW Photo Credit: Iker Aldama
Fashion and Style

ZANKOV Fall Winter 2026 at New York Fashion Week Reads Like a Love Letter to Beautiful Tension

“Think Of Me More And More” Brings Subdued Color, Unexpected Occasions, And Sculptural Knitwear To New York Fashion Week

Matthew Kennedy

ZANKOV’s Fall Winter 2026 collection arrives with a title that feels like a lingering thought: “Think of Me More and More.” Shown in New York on February 12, 2026, the collection treats each season as part of an ongoing conversation, one that builds, revises, and occasionally contradicts itself on purpose. The message is clear. This is a brand that trusts instinct, values experimentation, and finds its signature in combinations that should not work yet somehow do.

The collection is anchored in a more subdued palette, yet the mood never reads as quiet. Silhouettes are shifted outside their expected occasions, and the tension comes through in how color, material, and texture meet. ZANKOV’s point of view is not about perfection. It is about getting comfortable with the uncomfortable, then making it look intentional.

A Wardrobe That Refuses to Stay in One Lane

ZANKOV’s Fall Winter 2026 proposition is built on mix, contrast, and a sense of personal rule-breaking. Knitted suits in viscose crêpes and brushed alpacas move in dialogue with Melton wool tailoring. Double faced knitted velour is positioned for day or night, paired with silk charmeuse in turquoise, oversized paillettes, and netted macramé beading.

There is an ongoing push and pull between structure and fluidity. Knitwear leans graphic and nostalgic through argyles, jacquards, patterns, and knitted buckles, then pivots into draped and sculpted cashmere and lurex gowns that carry a more expressive softness. Silk cady introduces a new layer of shine in sculpted miniskirts and interacts with wool jersey in charcoal mélange, black, and ink, bringing an intentional casualness to evening dressing.

Stripes are treated as a technical study. They appear extra fine in merino wool, then shift to bias cut satin, diagonal knit velvet, or are slashed vertically in cashmere and lurex. The result is a collection that treats familiar elements as a testing ground.

Materials and Techniques That Do the Talking

If the silhouette sets the tone, the materials sharpen the argument. ZANKOV’s list of techniques reads like a map of where craft meets experimentation:

  • Alpaca jacquards

  • Bias wool jersey

  • Handknit bouclé fringe

  • Space dye cashmere

  • Silk cady

  • Double face knit velour

  • Reverse knit argyles

  • Oversized paillettes

  • Draped cashmere

  • Wool crêpe jersey

Together, they form a wardrobe that does not rely on spectacle. The interest lives in the surfaces, the weight of a fabric, the way shine is introduced, and how softness is made structural.

Zankov Fall/Winter 2026 Look: Sequin Capelet And Long Ribbon Knit For A Dramatic Finish

Silver Jewelry With Heath Wagoner Brings Sculptural Precision

A notable collaboration this season comes through sterling silver jewelry created with Heath Wagoner. The conversation between Zankov and Wagoner is described as an exploration of materiality supported by technical expertise, and the pieces are designed for versatility, intended to be worn in multiple interpretations.

Each piece is handcrafted in sterling silver in Heath’s Brooklyn studio, drawing inspiration from ripples and astronomy. The collaboration also marks a move into solid metal for Zankov, with an emphasis on treating metal in ways that mimic the behavior of fabric. In the context of a collection focused on tension and transformation, the idea feels natural.

Presley Oldham Jewelry Evolves With an Explosive New Energy

ZANKOV’s ongoing jewelry collaboration with Presley Oldham takes a new step forward this season while remaining true to the shared lexicon they have built. The image that guided this chapter was a star exploding.

Tassel necklaces become bolder, with beads cascading from chunky gemstones. Collar necklaces are described as tame and uncontainable at once, as beaded fringe drifts out of tulle mesh. Cuffs are embellished with long beaded fringe, extending the line of the arm. The pieces carry the same tension that defines the collection, described as a kaleidoscopic set of treasures collected over a lifetime.

Model in argyle cardigan over a blue patterned shirt, holding a fuzzy pink wrap on runway

The RealReal Partnership Brings Circularity Onto the Runway

Footwear for the season is provided through a partnership with The RealReal, and the approach goes beyond styling. After the show, the footwear will be reconsigned back onto The RealReal platform and featured in an exclusive sale. Alongside the footwear, the sale will include exclusive past-season ZANKOV pieces, with featured items available starting February 17.

The partnership is positioned as a statement on fashion circularity, extending the lifecycle of luxury items through reconsignment. Demand for ZANKOV on The RealReal has surged more than four times since 2024, reinforcing the brand’s growing resonance with luxury consumers.

Model in vivid red tunic over a gold net skirt with ribbon accents walking the runway
“We’re thrilled to partner with ZANKOV as the Official Footwear Sponsor of their NYFW runway show. ZANKOV’s craftsmanship and wearability strongly resonate with our customers, and the featured sale on The RealReal will bring highly sought-after past-season pieces to our platform while reinforcing our shared commitment to circularity.”
Samantha McCandless, Chief Merchandising Officer at The RealReal

Starbucks Joins Behind the Scenes as Official Coffee Partner

ZANKOV also partnered with Starbucks as part of the company’s initiative to support emerging designers and fuel the fashion industry. Starbucks served as ZANKOV’s official coffee partner during New York Fashion Week, providing coffee for the team throughout model fittings, castings, seating meetings, and more. ZANKOV’s team coffee runs were courtesy of Starbucks, a practical detail that still reads as a real snapshot of how a show comes together.

Model in brown knit dress with buckle closures and striped sleeves, carrying a striped fuzzy piece

The Team Behind the Show

The Fall Winter 2026 show was supported by a lineup of established creative partners:

  • Casting: David Chen

  • Production: KCD

  • Hair: Junya Nakashima in partnership with Bedhead

  • Beauty: Alex Levy in partnership with New York Makeup Academy

  • Footwear: The RealReal

  • Venue: Storied NYC

  • PR: Carolyn Batista Gray + PURPLE

ZANKOV’s Fall Winter 2026 collection does not chase clean resolutions. It leans into friction, plays with discomfort, and builds elegance through contrast. The message behind “Think of Me More and More” feels less like a slogan and more like an invitation. Look again. Sit with the tension. Let the wrongness sharpen into style.

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