FANG NYC Takes Us to the Rave
New York-based designer Fang Guo made his second appearance at NYFW.
Photography by Alberto Valle Gutierrez
For its Fall/Winter 2026 collection, FANG NYC channels yin and yang, with a soft side and a jagged edge to each garment in The Politics of Soft Armor runway show. Designer Fang Guo expanded on his risqué, gender non-conforming motif while confronting the current social climate. This season was influenced by ‘90s rave culture, post-Cold War liberation, and the ways people express themselves.
FANG NYC returns with a wide range of silhouettes, including structured outerwear pieces, draped and see-through dresses, and accessories, as well as relaxed and fitted tops and bottoms with subtle patterns such as stripes and checks.
“One of the key inspirations of the collection is Anfang/Beginning: Berlin 1994–99, a photo series by Christian Stemmler, who documented his circle of friends in Berlin during that transformative era,” Guo says. “The images capture the authenticity of the time—afterparties at someone's apartment, street snapshots, and intimate portraits that radiate a sense of communal freedom and creative camaraderie. I wanted to harken back/emote a sense of hopefulness under the current social climate that often feels disjointed.”
Photography by Alberto Valle Gutierrez
The pieces are minimalist and contemporary, but still scream as conversation pieces for any occasion. Materials such as sheer wool knit, mixed-media leather, fur, and denim in neutral blacks, browns, and blues are subtle yet conspicuous, seen on halter tops, bodycon dresses, button-down shirts, chaps, belts, and more. The runway was lined with chalk and turf, representing the signature line that runs through many of FANG NYC’s garments and serving as an homage to brutalist sports culture.
“The runway setting, inspired by the collection’s stripe, sporty sensibility, featured an installation design reminiscent of a brutalist sports arena entrance, concrete floor marked with track-and-field-style lines and patches of astroturf, creating a visual dialogue between structure and spontaneity—embodying the cool, effortless energy at the heart of FANG NYC.”
