Calvin Klein
ESTABLISHED
1968
HQ
Manhattan, New York City, USA
FOUNDERS
Calvin Klein and Barry K Schwartz
CEO
Steve Shiffman
WHAT ARE THE MOST FAMOUS CALVIN KLEIN ADS?
For decades Calvin Klein ads have been following the same formula: saucy, provocative and occasionally controversial. From a saucy Brooke Shields to a topless Kate Moss and a Marky Mark shoot that had Funky Bunch fans screaming, the revolutionary campaigns, originally shot by Richard Avedon, turned jeans into a fashion staple. The revamped #MyCalvins campaign, first launched in 2014, pays homage to Shields’ original 1981 campaign, while tapping into the modern social celebrity.
WHO HAS MODELED FOR CALVIN KLEIN?
CK ads were also known for their celebrity appearances as much as their controversial styles. As well as Shields and Moss, Christy Turlington is one of the best known models for the brand, appearing in ads since the 1990s and fronting the famous Eternity fragrance campaign. Lara Stone famously appeared with Justin Bieber in the 2015 Jeans campaign after appearing in her first campaign in 2008. From 2010 to 2015, Stone fronted advertisements for Calvin Klein Jeans, Underwear and the Calvin Klein Collection lines. Recently, A$AP Rocky, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner have all been part of Calvin Klein’s #MyCalvins campaigns.
1969
The designer appears on the cover of the September issue of Vogue.
1970
Calvin Klein holds his first fashion show costing around $10,000.
1971
Klein adds sportswear, classic blazers, and lingerie to his women’s collection.
1973
The designer becomes the youngest recipient of the first Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award for his 74-piece womenswear collection. Winning again in 1974 and 1975 when he was voted into the Coty Hall of Fame.
1977
Brand revenue hits $30million with licenses for scarves, shoes, belts, furs, sunglasses, and bedsheets.
1978
200,000 pairs of the infamous CK jeans are rumored to be sold within the first week of sales thanks to a saucy series of ad campaigns.
1981
15-year-old Brooke Shields fronts a controversial ad campaign.
1982
Klein launches a successful line of women’s boxer shorts and a men’s underwear collection combined with a $500,000 ad campaign. The CK underwear collection would later gross $70 million in a single year
1985
The brand breaks into the world of fragrance for a second time after originally closing the cosmetics branch of ck in 1979. Named Obsession, the fragrance is still produced today.
1987
Financial problems, employee turnover, and licensing disputes led to the attempted sale of the company. A crashing stock market is said to have thwarted plans, but the business survived.
1992
The brand avoids bankruptcy and pioneers the men’s boxer/brief with an infamous and saucy ad campaign fronted by Marky Mark (Mark Wahlberg) and fledgling model Kate Moss.
1993
Calvin Klein is named America’s best designer.
2002
CK is sold to sold to Phillips Van Heusen Corp with a deal estimated at $400 million in cash on top of stock, licensing rights and royalties.
2014
Calvin Klein launches the #MyCalvins campaign, with reference to the now seminal Brooke Shields ad.
2016
Belgian designer Raf Simons joins as Chief Creative Officer with his debut collection debuted for the Fall 2017 season.
2017
The iconic lower-case logo is replaced by Simons for a new all caps version, with the help of art director and graphic designer, Peter Saville.
2018
In December 2018, Calvin Klein and Simons announced they were “amicably parting ways.”
2019
Amid Simons departure, the fashion house chose to close its Calvin Klein Collection (renamed Calvin Klein 205W39NYC in 2017 by Simons).
The #MyTruth ad campaign puts a new spin on the classic My Calvin line, featuring Shawn Mendes, Billie Eilish, A$AP Rocky and more.
