Public School founders departing DKNY as creative directors

NEW YORK (AP) - Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow, the creative directors of DKNY, are stepping down to focus on their own brand, Public School.

Caroline Brown, chief executive of DKNY, is also leaving, all three less than two years after taking over when founder Donna Karan departed.

The changes come amid an agreement this year for LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton to sell DKNY to G-III Apparel Group.

"Given the company sale and subsequent change in strategies, we have decided to step down and focus on our own business Public School," Osborne and Chow said in a statement sent Friday via email from a DKNY spokeswoman.

"It's been an unbelievable experience to work side by side with the wonderful people at DKNY, especially our amazing design team and atelier. We wish the company success in the future," the statement said.