DKNY names Public School Founders co-Creative Directors

Time for a fresh start at DKNY. The sister label to Donna Karan New York has put the rumours to rest by naming Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, founders and creative directors of Public School as its new co-creative directors.

The design duo, who won the CFDA award last year, will take over all creative direction for DKNY’s collection, with immediate effect and will split their time working on each label. Chow and Osborne will be succeeding Jane Chung, executive vice president of design at DKNY, who has overseen the brand’s design direction since it was founded in 1989, although it remains unclear what her role will be at parent company Donna Karan International when the transition has been complete.

Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne to take over creative helm at DKNY

"We both grew up in New York and DKNY has always been part of the landscape of this city in our formative years as designers and New Yorkers. It is one of the brands that helped change the game for us and for American fashion," commented Chow and Osborne in a statement on their new appointment. "We are extremely proud and excited to be joining the company and to contribute to the next chapter of DKNY, one of the most iconic brands created by Donna Karan, a true inspiration."

The first DKNY women’s wear collection to debut designed by Chow and Osborne will be presented this September during New York Fashion week. Afterwards the new creative directors plan on turning their focus to the label’s men’s wear line. The company has also announced the appointment of Hector Muelas, creative director of worldwide marketing communications at Apple as chief image officer at Donna Karan International, a newly created role.

Chow, Osborne and Muelas will all report directly to Caroline Brown, chief executive officer of Donna Karan International. Together the new team is said to represent the new creative outlook for DKNY, which aims to create a seamless brand experience for its consumers through all its channels. “I can’t think of designers who represent authentic New York in a better way,” said Brown to WWD, adding that not only are they New-York based designers, but also “they’re born and raised New Yorkers.”

The CEO believes that the brand is now in an ideal position to grow. “There’s been such an explosion of that whole contemporary market globally. We’re sitting on a brand that has fantastic distribution and incredible brand recognition,” explained Brown. “We think there’s an opportunity to put a lot behind it to re-inspire and reinvigorate it. That was the purpose of this step, to look at DKNY with fresh eyes and reach the full potential.”

In spite of several rumours circulating that DKNY was looking at Prabal Gurung and Andrea Lieberman as potential candidates for the role, Brown is confident the right decision has been made with the appointment of Chow and Osborne. “It’s a huge decision for us, and it’s not a decision made without serious due diligence. Where we feel we landed is exactly where we feel we should be.”

Donna Karan, founder of brand and designer of Donna Karan International will continue to oversee the Donna Karan Collection as its creative director and will support DKNY new co-creative directors in an advisory role.