FANG NYC SS26 Runway Debut Brings Sculpture to Knitwear
Drawing inspiration from underground grunge scenes in the 1990s, designer Fang Guo’s debut collection platforms queer liberation and expression.
Photography by Hatnim Lee
FANG NYC’s NYFW debut runway show was sexy, grunge, erotic, and industrial. Entering at the start of the runway from a corridor that seemingly had no end or beginning, guests were welcomed by a moss-littered runway grounded by large, angular steel fixtures running down the center. Techno music bumps through the speakers, and the runway is lit with harsh spotlights scattered across the floor.
With a focus on knitwear, FANG NYC’s latest collection takes inspiration from the 1990s grunge era through a techno-futurist lens. Runway highlights included sheer ladder stitch constructions, gradient jacquard, lace paired with molded faux leather, and utilitarian closures such as paracord fasteners. Bottoms referenced carpenter pants and reinvented ski-wear as jeans, while a custom logo pattern introduced a new graphic element.
Photography by Hatnim Lee
FANG NYC’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection presented a balance of unisex and femme-forward silhouettes rooted in the brand’s sculptural knitwear. The collection styling with bulky silver jewelry, thin metal eyeglasses, slicked wet hair, and woven leather handbags brought a sense of edge to these sheer, delicate pieces.
Each look had an eclectic yet sexy twist to it; from knit dresses with experimental shapes, to denim jeans and shorts with zippers pointing the eye to the wearer’s groin, malleable leather combined with slinky sheer knits, and mini grommet belt skirts that leave very little to the imagination, this past meets future collection seamlessly blends industrialism and rave culture. The inaugural collection combines nostalgia and counterculture, paying homage to underground scenes that historically serve as a refuge for LGBTQIA+ communities.
Photography by Hatnim Lee
With the debut of his fashion label, FANG NYC, designer Fang Guo aims to add a voice to the conversation on fashion as a medium for liberated, queer, and subversive expression. Born and raised in Beijing, studied at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and now residing in New York, Guo has a deep curiosity and yearning to understand diverse cultures, perspectives, and aesthetics. Finding a sense of refuge and community within the queer underground, he aims to translate his experiences visually by creating a balance between classic and playful, masculine and feminine, yin and yang.
“This collection draws inspiration from an indie rock musician I was seeing, and from the parallels I noticed with the queer underground raving scene that has long informed my work. I began revisiting concert footage and archival interviews from the 1990s—artists like Kurt Cobain, The Cranberries, and others—and used those references as a foundation,” Guo says. “From there, I layered in a contemporary perspective, introducing updated design elements that feel relevant today. The knitted plaid and knitted lace patterns, in particular, are highlights I’m especially proud of and excited to showcase.”
