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Who is Calvin Klein?
Calvin Klein is an iconic American fashion designer who has made a significant impact on the global fashion industry. Born in New York City, Klein studied fashion and apprenticed with a suit manufacturer before launching his own brand in 1968 alongside Barry Schwartz, who managed the business operations while Klein focused on design and creativity. The Calvin Klein brand initially gained recognition for its suits and coats, but soon expanded to include sportswear, which became a major success. Over the years, the label broadened its offerings to include menswear, jeans, cosmetics, fragrances, and home collections. Klein became well known for his model and celebrity-driven advertising campaigns, which often sparked controversy for their provocative nature.
In 2003, Klein sold his company but his influence in the fashion world continued through his contributions to the brand’s image and marketing, which remain a significant part of pop culture.
Early Life
Calvin Richard Klein was born on November 19, 1942, in the Bronx, New York. He was the middle child in a family of three children. His father, a Hungarian immigrant, ran a grocery store in Harlem, while his mother was a homemaker who had a deep appreciation for fashion. She frequently visited her own mother’s tailoring shop, and these experiences helped foster Klein’s early passion for clothing and design. From a young age, Klein was driven and began working on fashion sketches before reaching adolescence. He attended the High School of Industrial Arts and later the Fashion Institute of Technology, where he graduated in 1963.
The Calvin Klein Brand
Before launching his own label, Klein gained valuable experience by working in various roles within the fashion industry. In 1968, with the financial backing of his childhood friend Barry Schwartz, Klein opened his own showroom in New York City. A serendipitous encounter with a buyer from Bonwit Teller, a prominent department store, led to his big break, and his designs quickly gained recognition. By the early 1970s, Klein’s minimalist and streamlined women’s apparel became a hallmark of the brand, renowned for its exquisite tailoring and high-quality fabrics.
As the brand grew, Klein expanded into menswear, denim, and later into jeans, carving out a prominent space in the competitive denim market. His collaborations with industry experts, including former Vogue editor Francis Stein, helped shape the sensual aesthetic that became synonymous with the Calvin Klein brand. By the 1980s, the brand had diversified further, offering underwear, fragrances, and home apparel.
Despite its success, the company faced financial difficulties in the 1990s, leading to a crucial bailout from entertainment mogul David Geffen. In 2000, Calvin Klein Inc. filed a lawsuit against licensee Warnaco Group for breach of contract and trademark infringement, a case that was later settled.
In 2003, Klein and Schwartz sold the company to Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation for $430 million in cash and stock, along with a limited royalty deal. Since then, the brand has continued to thrive under new leadership, with Raf Simons appointed as the chief creative officer in 2016, overseeing the unified vision for all Calvin Klein divisions.
Provocative and Controversial Advertising
Calvin Klein has garnered significant attention over the years for the provocative nature of his ad campaigns, many of which have stirred public debate, particularly when targeted at younger audiences. One of the most iconic and controversial ads featured a teenage Brooke Shields delivering the now-infamous line, “Do you know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” This ad, along with another campaign, was ultimately banned from television due to its suggestive nature. In 1995, Klein faced even more backlash when CK Jeans released a campaign featuring young models in imagery that critics claimed resembled amateur pornography. The public outcry led to the ads being pulled, and both President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton publicly condemned the campaign. The U.S. Justice Department even launched an investigation into the ages of the models. Reflecting on the controversy in 2013, Klein acknowledged that the campaign may have crossed a line.
Despite the controversies, Klein’s ads have also been lauded for their artistic sensuality and celebration of the human body. Kate Moss, often considered his muse, appeared in a series of ads that faced criticism for her thin physique and the eroticism of the imagery, yet the campaigns remain iconic. Meanwhile, Christy Turlington’s campaign for the Eternity fragrance embodied themes of stability and family, showcasing a more serene and classical beauty. Klein is also credited with bringing the male form into the fashion spotlight, notably with his underwear ads featuring rapper-turned-actor Mark Wahlberg. Over time, a diverse array of models, actors, athletes, and performers have appeared in Calvin Klein campaigns, including Tom Hintnaus, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Antonio Sabato Jr., Zoe Saldana, Justin Bieber, and Kendall Jenner. He has also collaborated with renowned photographers such as Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Steven Klein, and Mario Testino, further cementing his brand’s cultural influence.
Personal Life
While Calvin Klein tends to keep his personal life private, he has been open about his intimate relationships with both women and men, although he has avoided labeling his sexual identity. His personal experiences have often influenced the creative direction of his ad campaigns. Klein was married to Jayne Centre for 10 years, and the couple had a daughter named Marci. In 1986, he married Kelly Rector, a relationship that ended amicably in 2006 after several years of living apart.
A former regular at the legendary Studio 54, Klein has also struggled with substance abuse. In 1988, he entered a rehab center in Minnesota to address his issues with drugs and alcohol. He later faced another bout of substance abuse around the time he sold his company but successfully completed rehab in Arizona, emerging on a path to recovery.