Next month, Moët & Chandon will release three limited-edition bottles designed by Public School’s Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne. For the collaboration, Chow and Osborne visited Moët’s cellars in France where they met with the house’s Chef de Cave Benoit Gouez. Using signature motifs for the brand like all-black, a feather quill, and leather, the fashion designers outfitted the Moët’s number one seller in the U.S., the Nectar Impérial Rosé.
The collaboration comes just shy of Public School’s 10-year anniversary. In advance of the release on October 1, Whitewall spoke with the purveyors of New York cool about visiting Épernay, their decade in the industry, and when they’ll be popping a bottle of champagne next.
WHITEWALL: What was it like visiting the Moët & Chandon caves, and seeing how the champagne was made?
PUBLIC SCHOOL: When we visited Moët’s cellars in Épernay, France last year, learning about the birth and history of the champagne really made the collaboration feel right. Discovering firsthand what goes into creating a bottle of Moët & Chandon from Chef de Cave Benoit Gouez really gave us a lot of inspiration when it came to the design process. We’re so proud of what we’ve created and to join the family.
WW: How did that experience impact your design for the bottle?
PS: Visiting Moët’s cellars really brought to life how much we connect with the brand. When you think about champagne, you think about Moët & Chandon, you think about celebration, and you think about nightlife. We really wanted to bring that spontaneity into our design process.
WW: Black is a staple and signature for Public School. How did you want to use black in the design for Moët & Chandon? What does black represent to you?
PS: Black represents a balance of strength and fragility, quality and street-culture, heritage and modernity. The first challenge was to incorporate the signature of Nectar Impérial Rosé, with the dark enigmatic vibe of Public School. Black has become our signature color. We embraced that contrast, marrying the pink and the gold of Nectar Rosé against the black to transform the custom bottles.
WW: Can you tell us more about the pattern on the label and magnum and jeroboam bottles?
PS: Each of the bottles features a feather quill design that was an early icon we adopted for the brand. It represents how throughout history, the pen is often mightier than the sword. We liked the idea of incorporating this design with a very strong meaning with the ease of the Nectar Impérial Rosé.
WW: This collaboration comes just ahead of Public School’s 10th anniversary. How did that upcoming milestone influence this collaboration?
PS: We’ve had a lot of moments to celebrate—some low moments some high moments. But we always make time to celebrate a little and then get right back to work.
WW: What does 10 years symbolize for you?
PS: 10 years symbolizes growth and evolution. 10 years is also a significant milestone for the brand and we are grateful to be able to do what we love doing after all this time. To create an idea and have it evolve from a fashion brand into bigger things like this collaboration with Moët is exciting.
WW: Any upcoming occasions where you’ll get to pop a bottle of the Moët Nectar Imperial Rosé?
PS: Our afterparty, for sure.