The Tamesis
Zankov was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and immigrated to New Jersey with his family as a child. Zankov credits his time at DVF with shaping his love of color, which he showcases in his edgy brand of playful knitwear launched in 2020. He will continue to run his namesake brand, and the studio has moved from its former Brooklyn headquarters to DVF’s Meatpacking District headquarters. At a meeting in his office last week, he was surrounded by mood boards pinned with artwork, interior photos and magazine proofs showcasing DVF’s colours, prints and dynamic character. “We all know that this brand has struck a nerve with women for decades,” he reflects. “It has such a powerful vocabulary, not just a visual vocabulary but even a psychological vocabulary, that I feel like there’s a lot of potential here.”
Von Furstenberg launched her famous wrap dress in 1974, just as second-wave feminism was taking off and a new generation of women was entering the workplace. Over the decades, the dress’s simple yet sexy structure—slip it on, tie it around your waist, and go—has become a symbol of freedom and even female entrepreneurship. In 2024, Von Furstenberg was the subject of a documentary, Diane von Furstenberg: Women in Power, The Tribeca Film Festival opens.
While wrap dresses are at the heart of the brand, Zankov is looking beyond it. “I hope someone will come in and buy a cotton T-shirt, or a windbreaker,” he said. “The thing about DVF is that all the pieces have to feel effortless when made and designed. The clothes have to feel strong, but also lightweight.” His philosophy is taking shape: “I don’t think the brand is necessarily just a fashion brand, I think it’s a brand about women. I mean, they come first. People come first.”
Von Furstenberg, who will turn 80 at the end of the year and now spends much of her time in Venice, Italy, found security in Zankov during her four years at the brand in the 2010s. Plus, she points out, “He and I, we come from the same tribe.” Both designers can trace their roots to Chisinau, once part of the Kingdom of Romania and now the capital of Moldova. Did she give Zankov any advice? “Diane said it differently, but that’s what I said in my own way,” he said. “You know, it’s about ease, ease and intention.”
