By HQ
Recently, tmrw Editor-in-Chief Walter Robert sat down with Raphael Young, the creative force behind PUBLIC SERV-CE, and his collaborator Deborah Hanau to talk about the brand’s origins, philosophy, and future. What followed was a conversation about more than clothes; it was about culture, community, and the power of dressing real people .
In the heart of New York, a new energy is forming, one that doesn’t ask for permission but creates its own lane. PUBLIC SERV-CE, the brainchild of creative director Raphael and his team, is redefining what it means to design for people, culture, and community. Their second presentation, Street Tailorism, wasn’t just a fashion show; it was a movement.
“I’ve dressed Beyoncé, Rihanna, the Rolling Stones,” Raphael shares, reflecting on his past career in couture and stage design. “But PUBLIC SERV-CE is different. It’s about real people, everyday people. Fashion should give power to someone walking down the street, going to work, or stepping out at night, not just someone walking a red carpet.”
That sense of grounding came after their first presentation, Spatial Tailorism.
More than a show, it introduced anamorphic clothing silhouettes redefined through volume and air, garments that came alive by interacting with people in the space. Street Tailorism became the natural progression, rooted in precision tailoring but designed for the rhythms of the street.
From their very first launch party last February, PUBLIC SERV-CE has been intentional about creating more than clothing. They’ve built what they call a family.
Artists like Dave East, Jay Critch, Trinidad James, KayCyy Pluto, and JNR Choi wanted to be there. They felt the energy and asked to participate. Dave East asked to close the show. JNR opened. KayCyy Pluto has been with us since the beginning. That’s when we knew this was bigger than us. It’s a community.”
That community is rooted in New York’s culture of music, art, and street identity.
The show itself was more than a runway, it was a cultural event. Local DJ Siobhan Bell, performers like Bigal Harrison, and rising stars like Brinx all became part of the narrative. KayCyy Pluto even debuted a track created in collaboration with PUBLIC SERV-CE, merging music and design in real time.
The bond between PUBLIC SERV-CE and music is deeply personal: Raphael himself draws inspiration from trap and rap laced with electronic sounds. “Every time, I ask myself: would an artist wear this on tour?” he says.
PUBLIC SERV-CE’s Street Tailorism leaned into empowerment through craft. Raphael’s philosophy flips the traditional order of fashion: “Luxury brands borrow from the street to create something untouchable,” he explains. “We do the reverse—we take high fashion techniques and bring them back to everyday wear.”
To achieve this, the garments were stripped of unnecessary styling. Skin was intentionally visible sometimes, just a bare torso in a pair of jeans, so the cut, seams, and fit could be the focus. Raphael obsessed over Japanese denim washes, pocket placements, and shoulder lines. “Every seam, every inch is re-measured,” Deborah notes. “It’s not about hiding clothes under layers. It’s about the object itself, the right fit.”
Casting reflected the same ethos. Instead of polished, over-prepared faces, PUBLIC SERV-CE selected models with tattoos, treating body art as the ornamentation. “The clothes are minimalist,” Raphael explains, “so we thought it was interesting to let the tattoos be the embellishments. The skin became the styling.”
Standout pieces included a sleeveless denim vest paired with a cowboy hat, a nod to Americana remixed through PUBLIC SERV-CE’s lens.
The all-denim look resonated deeply with southern roots, while sleeveless puffers, varsity jackets, and shearling pants worn by Chance and Dave East showcased how statement pieces can also feel like essentials.
The relationship with artists continues to anchor the brand. What makes PUBLIC SERV-CE unique is that support hasn’t been transactional; artists show up because they believe in it. Dave East later partied in his runway look. JNR kept his fit long after the show.”
For PUBLIC SERV-CE, their dream is to eventually open a headquarters in New York, not just as a studio but as a cultural hub. Raphael envisions a ground-floor bar, a rendezvous point for artists and creatives. “We want a place where people come after hours, grab a drink, exchange ideas, and create,” he says. “A real house of PUBLIC SERV-CE.”
As they prepare their upcoming capsule, PUBLIC SERV-CE is keeping its compass steady: empowerment through wearability, expression through design. The capsule will bring back the most requested pieces like the sleeveless puffer, varsity staples, and iconic shearling pants, ensuring the DNA of the brand carries forward.
“Our mission from day one,” Deborah emphasizes, “was to make people feel confident, nice, and empowered in our clothes. Not overthought, not impossible to wear just right.”
PUBLIC SERV-CE isn’t just designing garments. They’re tailoring moments, shaping culture, and dressing the future.