Calvin Klein: Style and History
Writing & Graphics by Claire Nemec
Photography by Britney Spangenberg
Modeled by Rachel Schmieder, Daisy Mcdonald, Claire Nemec, Georgia Horsch, Olivia Cordero, & Emily Baadsgaard
Known for their famous casual and everyday wear, Calvin Klein is one of the most recognized fashion brands, expressing style through minimalist pieces. The brand is notable for its underwear marketing campaigns, which recently starred Jeremy Allen White from FX’s “The Bear” on Hulu.
Klein, born in 1942 in the Bronx, New York, grew up surrounded and influenced by urban environments and diverse styles. He eventually studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology, graduating in 1962. Six years later, Calvin Klein Inc. was co-founded by Klein and his best friend Barry Schwartz. At the brand’s inception, Klein designed six structural coats and three dresses, presenting them to Bonwit Teller, a luxury boutique. He left with a $50,000 order from the store.
Growing into such sensational popularity, Calvin Klein Inc. expanded into several brands, including Calvin Klein, CK Calvin Klein, Calvin Klein Jeans, Calvin Klein Underwear, and Calvin Klein Performance. According to the PVH website — the company that acquired Calvin Klein Inc. in 2003 — Calvin Klein Inc.’s global retail sales surmounted nearly $9 billion in 2023.
On Sept. 4, PVH announced Calvin Klein’s new fall 2024 womenswear campaign led by supermodel Kendall Jenner.
“Calvin Klein’s Fall 2024 womenswear is designed for dawn to dusk styling, featuring fresh seasonal colorways, transitional layers and new explorations in minimalism,” says the release from PVH.
Even in more professional looks, Calvin Klein emphasizes the importance of effortlessness through simplicity. The brand’s effortless, simplistic pieces make for a universal style easy for all audiences to wear. Clean tailoring, sharp lines, classic silhouettes, and neutral colors are classic staples ubiquitous throughout the brand, which are noticeable aspects that elevate the brand’s popularity in culture. Even in “Clueless,” as Cher Horowitz descends a spiral staircase in a classic, simple white dress and her father disapprovingly asks who calls that a dress, she simply replies, “Calvin Klein.”
Klein has built one of the most recognizable fashion empires, standing among the ranks of Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren. With Klein’s designs being easily accessible at popular retail, department, and markdown stores, everyone has the ability to express themselves.
