Old Navy Launches Altuzarra Collaboration Rooted in Gothic Literature

Key points

• The collection launched September 30 in select stores and online, with Old Navy cardmembers receiving early access on September 29.
• Pricing ranges from $25 to $140, with standout items including a $90 embellished bomber barn jacket and a $140 oversized 2-in-1 hooded parka.
• The line is the first Old Navy designer collaboration to include matching pieces for women, girls, and toddlers.
• Altuzarra cited 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Pride and Prejudice' as primary inspirations, aiming for a 'windswept Scottish moor' aesthetic.
• The collaboration follows previous partnerships with Anna Sui and Christopher John Rogers, part of a strategy to highlight American design.

Background

This collaboration arrives amid a period of strategic restructuring for Old Navy. In August 2026, Gap Inc. replaced Old Navy CEO Haio Barbeito with Michael Francis following a second quarter of weak results, where net sales fell 4% to $2.1 billion. The new leadership aims to reverse this slump by sharpening customer focus. The Altuzarra collaboration fits into this broader effort to refresh the brand's image through high-profile designer partnerships, following successful collaborations with Anna Sui and Christopher John Rogers.

How outlets are covering it

While all sources agree on the launch date, pricing, and literary inspiration, they emphasize different aspects of the collaboration. The Cut and Vogue focus on the aesthetic blend of Altuzarra’s romanticism with Old Navy’s practicality, highlighting specific items like the sherpa jacket and handkerchief dress. Who What Wear and Refinery29 place greater emphasis on the strategic and personal motivations behind the collaboration. Refinery29 notes that the partnership began when Zac Posen and Joseph Altuzarra met at a cocktail party, with Posen citing Altuzarra’s children running on the runway as a sign of his alignment with Old Navy’s family-oriented brand. Who What Wear highlights the inclusion of children's apparel as a first for the series, driven by Altuzarra’s desire to create matching outfits for his three daughters. All sources confirm the collection’s focus on 'capital F fashion' executed at an accessible price point, but The Cut and Vogue are more critical of specific fit issues, such as the need to size down in the jeans, while Refinery29 and Who What Wear present a more uniformly positive view of the collection's versatility.

Why it matters

The Old Navy x Altuzarra collaboration represents a significant strategic move for a brand facing declining sales. By partnering with a prominent American designer and expanding into children's apparel, Old Navy aims to attract new customers and reinforce its position as a leader in accessible, high-quality fashion. The success of this collaboration could signal a turning point for the brand under new leadership, demonstrating that designer partnerships can drive engagement and sales without compromising the brand's core value proposition of affordability and practicality.

What to watch

Shoppers can purchase the collection online at oldnavy.gap.com and in select stores. Old Navy cardmembers had early access starting September 29. The brand will likely continue its series of American designer collaborations, potentially featuring other contemporary designers, to maintain momentum and counteract recent sales slumps. Future collections may further integrate children's and family matching pieces, a trend highlighted in this collaboration.