Since founding Public School in 2008, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne have made a lasting contribution to American menswear. The label became one of the field’s most influential, achieving a level of recognition rarely afforded to Black designers in an industry with long-standing barriers to access. During the pandemic, the duo paused the brand after Osborne explained that it had lost its voice. Six years later, Public School has returned with a renewed perspective.

On Thursday, September 10, Chow and Osborne presented their second collection since relaunching the label. Titled Living Proof, the Spring/Summer 2027 show referenced Group Home’s 1995 hip-hop album of the same name.

Courtesy of Public School

While February’s show marked Public School’s return, the latest collection focused on how the label has moved forward. Chow identified modularity as the season’s guiding principle, with garments designed to adapt to changing conditions. On one trench coat, embellishments resembled droplets resting on the fabric.

Adaptability also influenced the collection’s materials. Natural wool, baby-rib cotton, yarn-dyed cupro, viscose, and cashmere-cotton blends were combined with washed synthetics and ripstop nylon. Glossy leather contrasted with faded denim, while woven shirting was layered over soft jersey. The range of textures gave the garments flexibility across different settings and conditions.

Courtesy of Public School

Navy, black, grey, and stone formed a muted palette, reflecting the designers’ interest in clothing that blends into the urban environment while retaining its identity. Broad, structured shoulders revisited a Public School signature dating back to 2008, lending the tailoring a sense of strength and protection that extended to galoshes worn over shoes with exaggerated toe springs. Elsewhere, garments opened to expose their internal layers, and hardware-free belts doubled as crossbody straps, weaving function directly into the collection’s construction and styling.

The collection also returned to Public School’s longstanding exploration of uniform dressing. For Chow and Osborne, the uniform extends beyond the classroom to become a framework for navigating New York. Their work continues to bring together the city’s contrasting qualities, including its practicality and ambition, through clothing that combines streetwear with tailoring.

Courtesy of Public School