DKNY Taps Public School Designers As New Creative Directors

Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne are the new creative directors of DKNY. The appointment was confirmed by the fashion label today, effective immediately.

Chow and Osborne are best known as the duo at the helm of Public School, for which they won the CFDA Award for Menswear Designer of the Year in 2014. They were also previously recipients of the CFDA Fashion Fund Prize in 2013.

"I started DKNY [in 1989] with the goal of creating a brand that captured the very best of New York and could bring that great energy to the world," Donna Karan said in a statement. "It's been an incredible journey. Today DKNY is present from New York to London, Hong Kong to Dubai—all with the genuine expression of this great city. Now is the right moment for it's evolution and I am so excited for the next chapter of this company working together with this new creative team."

The appointment of Chow and Osborne represents an entire new creative overhaul for the company, which will span design, marketing, brand messaging, and digital growth. The pair will oversee all DKNY collections, while continuing to design for the label that they founded.

"We both grew up in New York and DKNY has always been a part of the landscape of this city, in our formative years as designers and as New Yorkers," the designers said in a joint statement. "It is one of the brands that helped change the game for us and for American fashion. It evokes everything our city was always about—energy, disruption, new thinking, and transcending all boundaries. 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 American brands, created by Donna Karan, a true inspiration."

As part of the new creative structure, DKNY also confirmed the appointment of Hector Muelas in the newly created position of chief image officer, who was previously creative director of worldwide marketing at Apple Inc. He will be in charge of all areas of brand image, marketing, and digital platforms.