Public School Fall 2016: Outside // In

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Public School invites the public in for their Fall 2016 show

Rarely does a fashion house put as many people on the front row as possible, but this was the case at Public School NYC’s Fall 2016 show. This season the show was opened to the general public – where a throng of fashion students and street onlookers standing outside Milk Studios got to see the show firsthand as invitees sat on their perches inside the venue. This was a shoutout to the designers early years as students “The outsiders were the first to see each look. “The idea is to give people that front-row access,” said Osborne. The concept of being on the outside looking in and vice versa – ensures everybody gets a fair shot.” The theme also extended to their show which referenced Nicolas Roeg’s 1976 film, “The Man Who Fell to Earth.”  Where an alien outsider makes his way on planet earth in an urban environment.

Dao Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne drew more than a passing reference to David Bowie’s character “Thomas Jerome Newton,” and instituted a whole series of futurist, minimalistic ensembles. The duo kicked off the show with a quilted space jumpsuit cinched by a black cumberbund leather belt, along with athletic separates, belted tops, plaid pullovers and turtlenecks layered under long flowy shirts. The timely collection also relates to the issue of water and the alien’s sole purpose of bringing water back to his planet. Using similar motifs, the duo stitched triangular symbols and pockets mirroring the sign for water in the film which remains an important environmental concern. Other design elements included asymmetrical zippers and quilted nylon trousers worn with military style jackets and leather bombers, plus a series of camouflage separates and suits. A look Sir David Bowie would certainly have approved of. An anorak came with an orange lining in homage to Bowie’s iconic hair in the film.

Wide brimmed hats gave many of the utilitarian looks an element of a traveler, or as Osborne put it, “a loner.” The minimal color palette included olive camouflage, brown, greys and blacks mixed in with marine blue and eggplant. Athletic-inspired separates, like a nylon anorak or camouflage jogger pant, were paired with tailored tweed coats or tuxedo jackets providing that perfect high, low mix which speaks to the brand’s cool customers. A few of the looks were also styled with the Air Jordan 12 x Public School collaboration sneaker, which made their debut last December. To their credit, Osborne and Chow are amazingly adept maintaining a level of street cred while evolving their brand as designers. http://publicschoolnyc.com/

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Ronnie Fieg, Maxwell Osborne, Victor Cruz, Dao-Yi Chow, and Antoine Price after PSNY Fall 2016

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