The New York designer returns to DVF to lead the brand’s next creative chapter beginning in September 2026
Diane von Furstenberg has appointed Henry Zankov as Artistic Director, marking a new phase in the American fashion house’s ongoing repositioning under chief executive officer Graziano de Boni.
Zankov, who previously worked at DVF between 2014 and 2018 before launching his own label, will debut his first collection for the brand during New York Fashion Week in September 2026. In his new role, he will oversee all creative aspects of the house, spanning collections and visual identity, while continuing to operate his independent label, ZANKOV.
The appointment follows a period of restructuring and recalibration for DVF under de Boni, who since joining the company in 2023 has focused on bringing the business back in-house, refining distribution, and reconnecting the brand to its original design language and cultural positioning.
For DVF, Zankov represents both continuity and generational renewal. Known for his expressive use of color, knitwear experimentation, and playful approach to dressing, the designer has quickly emerged as one of New York fashion’s most closely watched younger talents, winning the 2024 CFDA American Emerging Designer of the Year Award.
Zankov’s connection to the house extends beyond his earlier tenure. Last September, he collaborated with DVF on an exclusive capsule collection launched through Bergdorf Goodman, offering an early indication of the evolving creative dialogue between the designer and the brand.
“I have always been surrounded and inspired by strong women and Diane is the ultimate embodiment of that,” Zankov said in a statement.
The DVF woman is a rebel — confident, curious and independent.”
The appointment also signals a broader trend among heritage American brands seeking younger creative leadership capable of balancing archival continuity with contemporary cultural relevance. In Zankov, DVF gains a designer whose work combines craft, color, and ease while maintaining a distinctly New York perspective — qualities closely aligned with the house’s original spirit of liberated dressing and confident femininity.