Opinion | New York label Public School's Woolmark prize shows America's advantage

To win the International Woolmark Prize in fashion is to join an esteemed group of designers that includes Karl Lagerfeld and the late Yves Saint Laurent, who both won in 1954.

Initially launched to combat the threat to Australian wool growers caused by new synthetic fibres in the clothing market, the prize has evolved into a meaningful accolade in the fashion world.

This year saw the debut of a menswear-specific prize, and the winner, New York label Public School, was announced at last month's London Collections: Men.

Founded by Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, Public School has been a serious contender in men's fashion for several years, with shows at New York Fashion Week, rail space in shops such as Barneys New York and Harvey Nichols, as well as a Council of Fashion Designers of America award under their belts. They debuted an impressive, easy to wear women's line late last year, and business is booming.

For Osborne and Chow, it's not just that winning the first men's award could put them on the global map, but that, as the first American designers to win at Woolmark, the moment is particularly poignant.

They beat out Sise from Japan, Asger Juel Larsen from Denmark, Australia's Strateas Carlucci, and the United Arab Emirates' The Emperor 1688 to clinch the big prize. Their winning collection of refined outfits featured hoods, layered and impeccably finished knits with a sporty, futuristic vibe.

In terms of general aesthetics, the label is all about New York urban chic - with sharp tailoring at its core. Think cool tees, shirts layered with vests and leather jackets.