Clothes truly for “These Days.”: Zankov FW25.
Henry Zankov’s musings on a “Subversive Spirit” led him to Downtown New York of the 1960s, specifically, the songstress Nico, Andy Warhol’s Factory and James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room.
Subversives, indeed. But that was then. In 2025, sartorial subversion may be a retro concept. It’s tough to wage meaningful wardrobe rebellion in a world in which anything goes. Yet that’s fine with Zankov. “I never, ever, ever want it to be literal,” he clarified backstage.
To him, subversion means unleashing unabashed exuberance into a sphere of polished chic. He thus employed vibrant color – pink, purple, green, gold, sapphire – and demonstrative textures and patterns throughout his tight but diverse collection. The result was a beautiful lineup that never tilted towards costume.
Multiple textures, space dyes, and patterns from abstracted geometrics to classic argyles delivered casual flamboyance. A long pink mélange-striped “robe coat” topped an argyle sweater and pumpkin pants; a lean, graphic-patterned pullover with porthole cutout went with a deftly draped pink skirt. Demonstrative long mufflers grazed the floor while a fringed orange triangle wrap draped a carwash-flap sweater. Quarter-sized paillettes played a large part in the joy, showing up as an extra on scarves and as the main event, bedecking a sexy, skimpy silvery slipdress and a gunmetal skirt worn with a aubergine knit with fringed striping.
This show marked the brand’s fifth anniversary, In his company’s half decade, Zankov has developed a strong, distinctive aesthetic with a core versatility. His approach offers a wealth of possibilities for fashion lovers of the major-statement, notice-me persuasion and yet has equal resonance for those who just want to throw on a great-looking sweater over jeans. In that sense, Nico made the perfect muse. These truly are clothes for “These Days.”
