Old Navy x Altuzarra: The Wuthering Heights Wardrobe, Bookmark Tags and All

Joseph Altuzarra had just read Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice when he started on this collection, and he told Who What Wear he pictured it on a windswept Scottish moor. Old Navy x Altuzarra went live on September 30, 2026, a 44-piece capsule fronted by Alexa Chung. It is the kind of designer collab that makes you want to reread a novel in October.

The designer is French-American, born in Paris, and he started his label in New York in 2008 after studying art history at Swarthmore and working under Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy. He won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2011. The idea for this one came from a short conversation with Zac Posen, who is chief creative officer at Old Navy and had already done Anna Sui and Christopher John Rogers. Posen called the line a love letter to the American customer. I like that it reads as a real wardrobe and not a costume.

Start the walk with the outer layer, because that is where the moor shows up. The Overcoat in Grasscloth is an olive-brown plaid with a high funnel neck and a full button front, and it is the one I would wear over everything in a cold October week. The Oversized 2-In-1 Hooded Parka in Hearthwood has a detachable lining, so you get two jackets for one. The Embellished Bomber Barn Jacket in Brown Truffle has a corduroy collar and a bit of sparkle, and the Fitted Blazer in Black Jack is the sharp, quiet option.

Underneath, I would keep it simple: the Embroidered Cardigan in Oatmeal Heather over a ribbed mock-neck in Sea Salt. Try the parka with the lining in and out before you decide how big a knit fits beneath it.

Fair Isle is the thread running through this edit, and Altuzarra gave it a job. He told Vogue that instead of a fleece there is a yoke of Fair Isle worked in, so the sweater becomes a hybrid of sweater and fleece. That is the kind of detail that makes the knitwear feel designed and not just printed.

The two Fair Isle Mock-Neck Sweaters are the center of this group. The Red Lacquer one has a blue and cream zigzag yoke, and the Hearthwood one is olive with cream diamonds. Both have drop shoulders and rib-knit cuffs and hem, so I would tuck the front into a pleated skirt and let the yoke sit loose at the chest. The Handkerchief Sweater Scarf in Oatmeal Heather ties at the neck and carries multicolor floral embroidery, which is the most Wuthering Heights thing here.

For the extras, the Knit Scarf in Grasscloth has a fringe hem and picks up the overcoat plaid. The two Satin Scarfs, in Black Jack and Paper Roses, are squares with prints that vary, so look at the one you actually receive. The Vegan Leather Gloves have wide faux-fur cuffs, and the Velvet Drawstring Baguette Bag in Red Lacquer has a chain strap and a soft gathered pouch.

Test the knit by pulling the neck over your head once with your hair down. A mock neck that fights you is a mock neck you will not reach for. What I would skip: the red bag and the red sweater in the same outfit, unless you want to look like a matching set.

The dresses are where Altuzarra's own label shows most clearly, and they are the reason I would open this edit on a phone first. The press release talks about feminine tea dresses with matching scarves, and you can see that in the draped necklines.

I would start with the Scarf Maxi Dress in Black Floral, which has a draped scarf neckline and adjustable spaghetti straps. It is the one Page Six says the designer named as a personal favorite. The Handkerchief Midi Dress in Paper Roses has a cowl scarf detail and adjustable straps, and it is the lighter option for a holiday dinner. The Midi Tea Dress in Blue Floral is the sweetest: short puffy sleeves, shoulder pads, a keyhole at the center back and a full skirt with ruffle trim.

For evening, the Velvet Maxi Dress in Forsythia Yellow has a v-neck and wide straps, the Off-The-Shoulder Velvet Maxi in Navy Captain has long sleeves and a ruched side, and the two Off-The-Shoulder Maxi Dresses in Black Jack and Raisin Arizona drape asymmetrically with ruched sides. The Maxi Dress in Grasscloth is a plaid with a deep v-neck.

Check three things in the fitting room: the strap length, since several of these are adjustable, the way the neckline sits when you sit down, and how the velvet looks under a coat. I would wear any of them with black tights and flat boots, and the plaid with a black cardigan. What I would skip: the yellow velvet with a bright coat, because the dress is already the whole point.

Balloon trousers are the quiet headline of this part of the collection, and the Independent singled out the balloon pants among the pieces. They are extra high-waisted with a pleated front, a zip front, hidden pockets and fitted leg openings that adjust, so the shape balloons and then pulls in.

The Extra High-Waisted Balloon Trouser Pants come in Black Jack, Wish Bone cream and Charcoal. I would take the cream with a black knit and boots, and the charcoal with the Fair Isle sweater from the knitwear group. The shape is a lot of fabric around the thigh, so wear a fitted top or a tucked one and keep the shoes simple.

Then the denim. Altuzarra told Vogue the denim has already been really popular in the office, and it comes as a wide-leg boyfriend cut and a slightly flared, patch-pocket style. Here you have the High-Waisted Baggy Wide-Leg Jeans in Indigo, an Embellished version in Black Jack, and a Straight Leg pair in Light Wash. Try the rise sitting and standing, and check the hem against the shoe you will wear.

The two Tiered Swing Maxi Skirts, in Black Jack and Oakmoss, are pull-on with an elastic waist. That makes them the easy pick for a travel day or a long dinner, and the swing moves well with a tucked-in ribbed top.

What I would skip: the baggy denim with a baggy knit. Pick one loose piece and let the other be fitted.

This is where the edit gets personal. Altuzarra is a father of three, and Vogue says he designed the children's pieces with his own kids in mind. Gap Inc. says the capsule brings matching looks for women, girls and toddlers for the first time in Old Navy's designer program, so a few of these tops are meant to be read next to the girls' pieces.

For women, the Jersey Off-The-Shoulder Top in Sea Salt has an asymmetrical neckline and long sleeves, and the Satin Lace Cami Top in Sea Salt has a v-neck, lace trim and adjustable straps. The Long-Sleeve Button-Down Top in Sea Salt has a ruffle collar and button cuffs, which I would tuck into the balloon trousers. Page Six points out the Scarf Tank Top in black as a basic made interesting, and it also comes in Paper Roses with the same draped neckline and thin straps.

Then the girls' pieces. The Mock-Neck & Plaid Dress Set for Girls in Grasscloth is a plaid pinafore with grosgrain ribbon straps and lace trim, worn over a black mock-neck top. The Mock-Neck Fair Isle Sweater for Girls in Red Lacquer is the mini version of the women's sweater, and the Embellished Skirt for Girls in Black Jack has an elasticized waist and all-over embellishments.

Check the sizing on the kids' side before you commit, and read the fabric notes on the lace and satin tops, since both want a gentle wash. What I would skip: matching head to toe if your girl would rather pick her own; one shared piece, like the Fair Isle, is plenty.

The thing I keep coming back to is the tag. Every item has one that doubles as a bookmark, and the New York launch happened in a bookstore, which tells you what the collection wants to be.

If I were choosing in order, I would take the Overcoat in Grasscloth first, then a Fair Isle sweater, then one dress for a holiday dinner. Add a satin scarf last, because it is the quickest way to change an outfit that is already working.

Altuzarra pictured a Scottish moor. I would settle for a damp October walk, a parka with the lining in and a book in the pocket. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Abercrombie and Fitch.