Much to the surprise and delight of '90s babies everywhere, Old Navy and Anna Sui are launching a fun, romantic, butterfly-filled collaboration together—and it's just as nostalgic and playful as you'd hope.
This is Old Navy's first-ever designer collab, a move that is both exciting and unsurprising, given the success that Gap (the other child of Creative Director Zac Posen) as seen with their collaborations. I stopped by the Gap, Inc. offices in downtown Manhattan to meet with both designers and get a preview of the launch in a sunny showroom filled with the soon-to-be-released pieces.
"I'm such a big fan of Anna," said Zac during our walkthrough. "I grew up on Spring Street around the corner from Anna's New York store. Every day I'd walk to school and it would be looking into the kaleidoscope of her window of what was changing and watching Anna's reflection of culture at that time. I watched her interpretation of what was happening in music and culture, which is more relevant today than ever."
I asked both designers what their favorite pieces were, mainly for my own shopping purposes. Zac highlighted a suede jacket ("The hand is really soft," he said, which is a cool designer way of saying that it feels incredible on the skin) and lots of the applique throughout the racks, while Anna pointed out a pretty purple slip skirt edged with lace as well as a floral dress inspired by one of her own designs from the '90s.
shop Anna Sui and Zac Posen's favorite items from the collaboration
Old Navy x Anna Sui Button-Down Applique Top
Old Navy x Anna Sui Satin Lace Hem Midi Skirt
Old Navy x Anna Sui Vegan Suede Boxy Jacket
Old Navy x Anna Sui Square Scarf
Old Navy x Anna Sui Crepe V-Neck Ruffle Maxi Dress
Old Navy x Anna Sui Denim Chore Jacket
"I'm really proud of Sarah Holmes, our designer, and our team to be pushing that and pushing us into the future while retaining technique and craft. It's pretty cool. It looks like a great collection, but there's so much that goes behind it," Zac explained.
And as for the style references that the two designers kept in mind while creating the collection? "You can see there's a lot of Victoriana going on in here, but also a grunge element, and we've melded it all with the signature denims of Old Navy," said Anna. "I used to go to the library to read old books while researching Victoriana but we have everything at our fingertips thanks to the internet. There's an interest in all these decades now. And it's exciting because it's so accessible." Both fashion history, and her Old Navy collection, that is!
some more standout pieces from the Anna Sui x Old Navy collab
Old Navy x Anna Sui Crew Neck Graphic Fleece Sweatshirt
Old Navy x Anna Sui Ringer Tee
Old Navy x Anna Sui Vegan Suede Mini Dress
Old Navy x Anna Sui Denim Chore Jacket
Old Navy x Anna Sui Chiffon Tie-Front Duster
Old Navy x Anna Sui Sleeveless Denim Mini Dress
The collaboration came together in record time—less than six months total. I'm told it was "a whirlwind." But you'd never know that looking at the level of detail on each piece, something that's exciting to see at a more affordable price point. And it sounds like there's more to come, too. "Anna was our test round in the beginning of celebrating our designer collabs," said Zac. "Each one will be really special."
I don't know about you, but I'm excited to see the trajectory of these future collabs—and, of course, to wear my Old Navy x Anna Sui baby tee out in the wild!
Prices range from $19.99-$119.99, with sizes ranging from XS to 4X. The collection is available to purchase at oldnavy.gap.com.
Hannah is the Shopping Editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things from chic home decor to trendy fashion finds, TikTok products that are actually worth your $$$, and the perfect gift to buy for your boyfriend's mom. She previously wrote for Seventeen and CR Fashion Book. Follow her on Instagram for hot takes on red carpet fashion and pictures of her office outfits that nobody asked for.
