Maison Diane von Furstenberg opens a new creative chapter by entrusting Henry Zankov with the unprecedented role of artistic director. After the success of the capsule collection signed last fall, the Russian-born American designer will now lead the brand’s entire creative vision, from collections to visual identity. The official debut is expected in September during New York Fashion Week with the spring 2027 collection.
For DVF, this is a strategic appointment, designed to strengthen the brand’s relaunch after the return of in-house management in 2025. Explaining the direction taken was global CEO Graziano de Boni, who identified Zankov as the figure capable of bringing contemporaneity and cultural relevance back to the maison. “The market asked us for new ideas and a breath of fresh air,” de Boni explained to WWD, stressing that the designer represents “the right person to bring modernity and a new creative energy to the brand.”
The relationship between Zankov and DVF, however, was not born today. Before launching his own brand in 2020, the designer had already worked for four years within the fashion house as design director of knitwear. An experience that allowed him to build a direct connection with Diane von Furstenberg and the brand’s aesthetic language.
“DVF has an extraordinary founder and a unique visual vocabulary. I am excited to evolve this legacy,” Zankov said. The designer also called the DVF woman “rebellious, confident, curious and independent,” adding that contributing to the future of the fashion house is “an honor and a privilege” for him.
The decision to focus on an internal “alumnus” is not accidental. In fact, De Boni explained that he wants to collaborate with creatives who deeply know the DNA of the maison, avoiding interventions that could distort its identity. “I don’t want people coming in and telling us what DVF should be. I want to work with people who really understand its uniqueness,” he recounted.
The aesthetic of Zankov-already honored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America as American Emerging Designer of the Year 2024-seems to fit perfectly into this path. His collections are known for their intense use of color, rich textures and a relaxed sensuality that naturally dialogues with DVF’s stylistic heritage. The DVF x Henry Zankov capsule presented last year had already given precise indications of the future creative direction: flowing silhouettes, references to the male wardrobe, sophisticated workmanship and iconic prints reinterpreted with a more contemporary spirit. Precious materials such as cashmere, chiffon and silk were interwoven with embroidered details and luminous inserts, while maintaining that idea of practical and immediate femininity that has always defined the brand.
Diane von Furstenberg also enthusiastically welcomed the appointment, praising the CEO’s strategic vision and the designer’s talent. “I am curious to see how Henry’s sense of color and spontaneous elegance will succeed in winning over a new generation,” she commented. The designer, now vice president and owner of the brand, will continue to maintain a central role in defining the maison’s identity. “I am the brand,” she said wryly, reiterating DVF’s founding values: clothes that are simple, sensual, functional, and designed “for the woman in charge.”
In parallel with the new creative direction, DVF is working on a global commercial relaunch phase. After years of reduced distribution, the brand has returned to international department stores and is rebuilding its presence in Europe, including Italy. According to de Boni, the business is already experiencing double-digit growth, although the manager stresses that work is only just beginning. “We want to build the future of the brand in the right way, with the right timing, and with the right people,” the CEO explained, reiterating the goal of consolidating the legacy of an independent fashion house that is still 100 percent controlled by the von Furstenberg family.
[📷 Courtesy of Emanuela Schmeidler /© Hunter Abrams]
