“This is the 10th year anniversary of Public School, we launched with MADE,” Chow told Vogue backstage. “Ten years later they asked us to come back and help usher in the next generation of great designers, and it was an honor to be able to curate this group and give them a little bit of direction.” Much of what makes a brand successful has shifted over the last decade, but for Chow and Osborne the elements for success are unchanged. “Point of view is always key,” said Osborne about their selection of designers. “Do they have longevity in terms of their business? Because you want to see them succeed,” he added.
The two-day event at Brooklyn Bridge Park featured a marketplace of small businesses, live conversations (including a panel between Public School and Vogue’s Chioma Nnadi), DJ sets by the likes of Heron Preston and Mona Matsuoka, and more.
Friday evening hosted Des Pierrot, Fried Rice, Loring New York, Savant Studios, and Colin LoCascio, a group of emerging designers “who are at the precipice of establishing their businesses,” as Chow described them, in a show titled New Wave New York. Each of the brands were tasked with creating collections made entirely with Public School deadstock under the mentorship of Chow and Osborne. As a throughline, the materials helped establish a consistent narrative while letting the designers lean into their own idiosyncrasies.