Calvin Klein is a fashion house owned by PVH that can be found both specialised stores as well as department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue.
https://www.calvinklein.us/en
Klein was inspired by sketching designs at his father’s grocery store and began working for coat mogul Dan Millstein for $75 per week before going on to found his own label in 1968.
Founder
After studying fashion in New York City and working as a suit designer for an industry leader, Klein cofounded his company with Barry Schwartz in 1968. They shared both creative and business responsibilities equally – Klein taking charge of design. Over time, Klein expanded his offerings to coats, suits, sportswear and ultimately jeans and perfume.
He utilized models such as Brooke Shields, Kate Moss and Mark Wahlberg in his advertising campaigns – often controversial ads – which helped launch these models to fame.
Klein was one of the youngest designers ever inducted into the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Hall of Fame, as well as being responsible for creating Obsession, a popular women’s perfume. He sold his company, Klein Van Heusen Corporation, in 2003 after struggling with substance abuse; checking into rehab twice prior to selling his company – once in 1988 and again at sale time in 2003. Klein married textile designer Jayne Centre; their daughter Marci works for NBC’s Saturday Night Live talent production.
Designer
Klein was born to Jewish-Hungarian parents in the Bronx and quickly took an interest in design, serving an apprenticeship under coat designer Dan Millstein before founding his own label with Barry Schwartz in 1968. Following its debut collection presentation at Manhattan’s Bonwit Teller store and Macy’s ordering its initial orders from Bonwit Teller and Macy’s departments stores respectively he went on to win three Coty awards in 1973, 1974, and 1975 for womenswear designs he produced.
Klein’s company grossed one million dollars within its inaugural year, soon garnering orders from Bergdorf Goodman and Saks, and began distributing his men’s underwear line through them as well.
Klein’s fragrances such as Obsession and Eternity became icons during the 1980s. His company later expanded into accessories, eyewear and swimwear before becoming an established household brand.
Collections
CALVIN KLEIN has become synonymous with minimalism, sexual provocation, celebrity relationships and groundbreaking advertising campaigns. He launched his fashion career in 1968 by taking samples to Bonwit Teller’s Fifth Avenue windows where they quickly secured a million-dollar licensing deal by fall.
In 1988, Calvin Klein unveiled Eternity fragrance and chose Christy Turlington to represent it for Richard Avedon’s campaign shot by him, making her famous and beginning their longstanding collaboration. That same year he also checked himself into rehab due to reported substance abuse issues.
Over time, PVH has expanded their collection with denim, underwear, beauty and menswear collections. Their logo was revamped in 2006 when off-white lettering was changed to black with tonal signature font adopted. However, Simons’ colorful avant-garde designs earned critical acclaim yet weren’t successful retail wise; thus causing PVH to limit Simon’s creative license and redirect resources towards higher performing designs; eventually they closed one international signature store directly owned by them in Paris and eventually global stores that offer diffusion lines CK underwear, swimwear and accessories lines as well.
Brands
In 1985, Klein launched her fragrance Obsession which quickly became a smash hit. Marketing of Obsession included a controversial and suggestive advertising campaign shot by Bruce Weber which showed several naked bodies intertwined together in hot tubs.
Calvin Klein collections were available for purchase both domestically and abroad in dedicated Calvin Klein stores as well as department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus. Furthermore, licensing agreements existed with retailers who carried their jeans, underwear and accessory collections.
Calvin Klein has long featured models, celebrities, musicians and actors in its advertising campaigns; such as Tom Hintnaus (the first male underwear model), Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Kate Moss, Mehcad Brooks Antonio Sabato Jr Zoe Saldana as part of its advertising campaigns; as well as working with top photographers Richard Avedon Herb Ritts Mario Testino Bruce Weber among many others. Finally in 2002 Klein sold the company to Phillips Van Heusen Corporation.
