Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow - Honorees - The Gordon Parks Foundation

Designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, born and raised in New York City, represent the convergence and restless energy of the city in which they live and work. Founded in 2008, PUBLIC SCHOOL is redefining the landscape for menswear and women's wear. Chow and Osborne blend high and low references from fashion, music, and art to create a point of view that is both unique and precisely edited.

Chow and Osborne design and manufacture the full range of their collections in New York, incorporating fabric from the best Italian, Japanese, and American mills. It is paramount to the Public School brand DNA that it keeps its production roots in New York, supporting local tailors, pattern makers and skilled garment workers. It is these genuine and personal experiences throughout the development process along with their design mantra "finding perfection in imperfection," that epitomize the brand and its commitment to produce only the finest clothing.

PUBLIC SCHOOL has received many honors, including the 2013 CFDA Swarovski Award for Menswear; the 2013 CFDA VOGUE Fashion Fund Award; the 2014 CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year Award; and the first International Woolmark Prize for Menswear in January 2015.

The PUBLIC SCHOOL collection is available at major department stores and specialty boutiques including Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue, Harrods, and many others.

In April 2015 Chow and Osborne were appointed the Creative Directors of DKNY, overseeing both the men's and women's collections and splitting their time between PUBLIC SCHOOL and DKNY. 

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