Calvin Klein Collection
![get alerts about this designer](https://web.archive.org/web/20110303073428im_/http://www.style.com/images/fashionshows/sbm/sbm_rss_icon.gif)
In 1968, Barry Schwartz loaned a childhood friend from the Bronx $10,000 to design a coat collection. Bonwit Teller ordered $50,000 of merchandise and placed the samples in its Fifth Avenue windows. The house of Calvin Klein was born.
It wasn't until 1979, however, that Klein did something that would revolutionize the denim market and make his brand one of the world's most recognizable: He commissioned a series of provocative, innuendo-dripping television commercials starring a 15-year-old Brooke Shields. "Nothing comes between me and my Calvins" was one of the most famous fashion slogans ever coined. It was hardly a coincidence that Klein was a fixture at Studio 54 and other high-profile nightlife venues.
The formula of celebrity, sex, and success would be repeated over and over during the next two decades. Kate Moss became a huge star posing nude for Calvin Klein Obsession perfume; Mark Wahlberg moved beyond boy rapper-dom posing (half-nude) for Calvin Klein underwear. In 1995, the house sparked a national debate when it aired CK One fragrance commercials featuring scantily dressed teenagers in suggestive attitudes; even President Clinton chimed in on the scandal. Meanwhile, Klein and co. were at the top of their game, and the awards—five from the CFDA, three from Coty—rolled in. At his best, the designer was able to pull off the neat trick of infusing minimalism with sensuality.
While the bulk of Calvin Klein's $3.5 billion in sales today comes from fragrance, underwear, and denim, the ready-to-wear line sets the tone. Even though Klein and Schwartz bowed out in 2002, selling out to Phillips-Van Heusen for $700 million, the company still hews close to its minimalist aesthetic under the guidance of Francisco Costa, Klein's successor. And when they're on the hunt for a slim coat, riding pants, or chic little dress done with sophisticatedly simple lines and monochromatic hues, women still look for the Calvin Klein label.
FASHION SHOWS (45)
All Seasons
Ready-to-wear
Resort
Pre-Fall
Menswear
- Fall 2011 RTW
- Fall 2011 Menswear
- Pre-Fall 2011
- Spring 2011 RTW
- Spring 2011 Menswear
- Resort 2011
- Fall 2010 RTW
- Fall 2010 Menswear
- Pre-Fall 2010
- Spring 2010 RTW
- Spring 2010 Menswear
- Resort 2010
- Fall 2009 RTW
- Pre-Fall 2009
- Spring 2009 RTW
- Spring 2009 Menswear
- Resort 2009
- Fall 2008 RTW
- Fall 2008 Menswear
- Pre-Fall 2008
- Spring 2008 RTW
- Spring 2008 Menswear
- Resort 2008
- Fall 2007 RTW
- Fall 2007 Menswear
- Spring 2007 RTW
- Spring 2007 Menswear
- Fall 2006 RTW
- Fall 2006 Menswear
- Spring 2006 RTW
- Spring 2006 Menswear
- Fall 2005 RTW
- Fall 2005 Menswear
- Spring 2005 RTW
- Spring 2005 Menswear
- Fall 2004 RTW
- Spring 2004 RTW
- Fall 2003 RTW
- Spring 2003 RTW
- Fall 2002 RTW
- Spring 2002 RTW
- Fall 2001 RTW
- Spring 2001 RTW
- Fall 2000 RTW
- Spring 2000 RTW
- Fall 2011 RTW
- Spring 2011 RTW
- Fall 2010 RTW
- Spring 2010 RTW
- Fall 2009 RTW
- Spring 2009 RTW
- Fall 2008 RTW
- Spring 2008 RTW
- Fall 2007 RTW
- Spring 2007 RTW
- Fall 2006 RTW
- Spring 2006 RTW
- Fall 2005 RTW
- Spring 2005 RTW
- Fall 2004 RTW
- Spring 2004 RTW
- Fall 2003 RTW
- Spring 2003 RTW
- Fall 2002 RTW
- Spring 2002 RTW
- Fall 2001 RTW
- Spring 2001 RTW
- Fall 2000 RTW
- Spring 2000 RTW
RELATED ARTICLES (6)
style notes
Next Spring, Earn Your Stripes
and your cargo pockets, paint splatters, and alterna-tux, too
July 5, 2010 12:00AM
the shopper
Cold Ease
the down jackets, fur vests, and cashmere sweaters to snuggle up in this winter
January 6, 2010 12:00AM
global scene
Rue La La
Francisco Costa Shows Off His Tan Lines, and More From the Paris Couture
July 7, 2009 12:00AM
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Francisco Costa
Francisco Costa had been working for Calvin Klein for only a year when he was asked to assume one of the most powerful positions in American fashion: the hand-picked heir apparent to Mr. Klein himself, head designer of womenswear. It was 2003, and Costa was a relative unknown. more >
RELATED WEBSITES
QUICK LINKS
Designer Directory
- 3.1 Phillip Lim
- 6267
- A.F. Vandevorst
- Abaeté
- Acne
- ADAM
- Adam Kimmel
- Adam Kimmel
- A Détacher
- Adidas by Stella McCartney
- Agnès B.
- Akris
- Alabama Chanin
- Alberta Ferretti
- Albino
- Alessandro Dell'Acqua
- Alexander McQueen
- Alexander Wang
- Alexandre Herchcovitch
- Alexandre Matthieu
- Alexis Mabille
- Alice + Olivia
- Alice Roi
- Alistair Carr
- Allegra Hicks
- Altuzarra
- An American View
- Andrew Gn
- Anna Molinari
- Anna Sui
- Ann Demeulemeester
- Anne Klein
- Anne Valérie Hash
- Ann-Sofie Back Atelje
- Anthony Vaccarello
- Antonio Azzuolo
- Antonio Berardi
- Antonio Marras
- Aquascutum
- Aquilano.Rimondi
- Araks
- Arkadius
- Armand Basi One
- Armani Privé
- As Four
- Ashish
- Azzaro
- Badgley Mischka
- Balenciaga
- Bally
- Balmain
- Banana Republic
- Band of Outsiders
- Band of Outsiders
- Barbara Bui
- Barbara Tfank
- Basso & Brooke
- BCBG Max Azria
- Behnaz Sarafpour
- Bella Freud
- Belstaff
- Benjamin Cho
- Benjamin Cho
- Bensoni
- Berardi
- Bernhard Willhelm
- Bespoken
- Betsey Johnson
- Betty Jackson
- Biba
- Bibhu Mohapatra
- Bill Blass
- Billy Reid
- Blaak
- Blumarine
- Bodkin
- Bottega Veneta
- Bouchra Jarrar
- Boudicca
- Brian Reyes
- Brioni
- Bruce
- Bruno Pieters
- Buckler
- Buddhist Punk
- Burberry Prorsum
- Byblos
- C.P. Company
- Cacharel
- Callaghan
- Calvin Klein Collection
- Canali
- Capucci
- Carlo Ponti
- Carlos Miele
- Carmen Marc Valvo
- Carolina Herrera
- Carven
- Celine
- Central Saint Martins
- Cerruti
- Chado Ralph Rucci
- Chadwick Bell
- Chaiken
- Chanel
- Charles Anastase
- Charles Nolan
- Charlotte Ronson
- Cher Michel Klein
- Chloé
- Chloë Sevigny for O.C.
- Chris Benz
- Christian Cota
- Christian Dior
- Christian Lacroix
- Christian Siriano
- Christophe Lemaire
- Christopher Kane
- Christopher Raeburn
- Clements Ribeiro
- Cloak
- C-Neeon
- Collette Dinnigan
- Comme des Garçons
- Commonwealth Utilities
- Commuun
- Costello Tagliapietra
- Costume National
- Creatures of the Wind
- Cushnie et Ochs
- Custo Barcelona
- Cynthia Rowley
- Cynthia Steffe
- D&G
- Daks by Giles Deacon
- Damir Doma
- Danielle Scutt
- Daryl K
- Daughters
- Davidelfin
- David Koma
- Dax Gabler
- Dennis Basso
- Derek Lam
- Derercuny
- Devi Kroell
- Diane von Furstenberg
- Diesel Black Gold
- Dior Homme
- Dirk Schönberger
- DKNY
- Dolce & Gabbana
- Donna Karan
- Doo.Ri
- Douglas Hannant
- Dries Van Noten
- Dsquared²
- Duckie Brown
- Duckie Brown
- Dunhill
- Duro Olowu
- E. Tautz
- Edun
- Eley Kishimoto
- Eleykishimoto Ellesse
- Elie Saab
- Elie Tahari
- Elise Øverland
- Ellen Tracy
- Elspeth Gibson
- Emanuel Ungaro
- Emilio de la Morena
- Emilio Pucci
- Emma Cook
- Emporio Armani
- Erdem
- Eric Bergère
- Erin Fetherston
- Erin Wasson x RVCA
- Ermenegildo Zegna
- Ermenegildo Zegna
- Etro
- Farah Angsana
- Fashion East
- Fashion Fringe
- Felder Felder
- Felipe Oliveira Baptista
- Fendi
- Féraud
- Francesco Scognamiglio
- Frank Tell
- FrostFrench
- Gabriele Colangelo
- Gant by Michael Bastian
- Gap
- Gardem
- Gareth Pugh
- Gary Graham
- Generra
- Genny
- Giambattista Valli
- Gianfranco Ferré
- Gibo
- Gilded Age
- Gilded Age
- Giles
- Giorgio Armani
- Givenchy
- Graeme Armour
- Graeme Black
- Gregory Parkinson
- G-Star
- Gucci
- Habitual
- Haider Ackermann
- Hakaan
- Halston
- Hamish Morrow
- Hanii Y
- Hannah Marshall
- Harmon
- Heatherette
- Helmut Lang
- Henrik Vibskov
- Hermès
- Hervé Léger by Max Azria
- Holly Fulton
- House of Holland
- House of Jazz
- Hugo Boss
- Hussein Chalayan
- Hutson
- Icarius de Menezes
- Iceberg
- Imitation
- Io Ipse Idem
- Isaac Mizrahi
- Isabel Marant
- Issa
- Issey Miyake
- Istvan Francer
- J.Crew
- J.Lindeberg
- J. Mendel
- J.W. Anderson
- Jaeger London
- James Coviello
- James Long
- Jasmine Di Milo
- Jasmin Shokrian
- Jason Wu
- Jasper Conran
- Jean Colonna
- Jean Paul Gaultier
- Jean-Pierre Braganza
- Jeffrey Chow
- Jen Kao
- Jenni Kayne
- Jens Laugesen
- Jeremy Laing
- Jeremy Scott
- Jill Stuart
- Jil Sander
- Joe Casely-Hayford
- John Bartlett
- John Galliano
- John Richmond
- John Varvatos
- Jonathan Saunders
- Joseph Abboud
- Josh Goot
- Jovovich-Hawk
- Jsen Wintle
- Juan Carlos Obando
- Julian Louie
- Julien Macdonald
- Julius
- Junya Watanabe
- Just Cavalli
- Kai Kühne
- Karen Walker
- Karl Lagerfeld
- Katayone Adeli
- Katy Rodriguez
- Keanan Duffty
- Kelly Wearstler
- Kenneth Cole New York
- Kenzo
- Kevork Kiledjian
- Kilgour
- Kimberly Ovitz
- Kim Jones
- Kinder Aggugini
- Koi Suwannagate
- Kris Van Assche
- Krizia
- Krizia Top
- Krystof Strozyna
- L.A.M.B.
- L'Wren Scott
- Lacoste
- Lagerfeld Gallery
- Lanvin
- La Perla
- Lawrence Steele
- Lela Rose
- Libertine
- Limi Feu
- Lizzy Disney
- Loden Dager
- Loewe
- London Roundup
- Louise Goldin
- Louise Gray
- Louis Vuitton
- LP.BG
- Luca Luca
- Luella
- Luisa Beccaria
- Lutz & Patmos
- Lyn Devon
- M.Patmos
- M.R.S.
- Maison Martin Margiela
- Malandrino
- Malandrino
- Malandrino
- Malo
- Mandy Coon
- Manish Arora
- Marc by Marc Jacobs
- Marchesa
- Marc Jacobs
- Marc Jacobs Men
- Marco de Vincenzo
- Marios Schwab
- Marjan Pejoski
- Mark Eisen
- Mark Fast
- Markus Lupfer
- Marni
- Martine Sitbon
- Martin Grant
- Mary Katrantzou
- Mary Ping
- Matthew Ames
- Matthew Williamson
- Matt Nye
- Maurizio Pecoraro
- Max Azria
- MaxMara
- McQ
- Meadham Kirchhoff
- Menichetti
- Michael Angel
- Michael Bastian
- Michael Bastian
- Michael Kors
- Michael van der Ham
- Michelle Lowe–Holder
- Michon Schur
- Miguel Adrover
- Miharayasuhiro
- Milly
- Missoni
- Miss Sixty
- Miu Miu
- MM6 Maison Martin Margiela x Opening Ceremony
- Modernist
- Moncler Gamme Bleu
- Moncler Gamme Rouge
- Moncler Grenoble
- Monique Lhuillier
- Moschino
- Moschino Cheap And Chic
- Mr. by Roland Mouret
- Mugler
- Mulberry
- N.Hoolywood
- Naeem Khan
- NAHM
- Nanette Lepore
- Naoki Takizawa
- Narciso Rodriguez
- Nathan Jenden
- Naum
- Nautica
- Neil Barrett
- Nicholas K
- Nicolas Andreas Taralis
- Nicole Farhi
- Nicole Miller
- Nina Donis
- Nina Ricci
- No. 21
- Noir
- Norma Kamali
- Number (N)ine
- NYC 2000
- Obedient Sons & Daughters
- Ohne Titel
- Olivier Theyskens
- Organic by John Patrick
- Oscar de la Renta
- Osman
- Ossie Clark
- Oumlil
- Paco Rabanne
- Pamela Dennis
- Paris 68
- Patrik Ervell
- Paul & Joe
- Paul Smith
- Pedro Lourenço
- Perry Ellis
- Peter Jensen
- Peter Pilotto
- Peter Som
- Peter Soronen
- Phi
- Philip Treacy
- Philosophy
- Piazza Sempione
- Pierrot
- Pollini
- Ports 1961
- PPQ
- Prabal Gurung
- Prada
- Preen
- Pringle of Scotland
- Proenza Schouler
- Project Alabama
- Rachel Comey
- Rachel Roy
- Rachel Zoe
- RAD by Rad Hourani
- Rad Hourani
- Rafael Lopez
- Raf Simons
- Raf Simons
- Rag & Bone
- Rag & Bone
- Ralph Lauren
- Ralph Rucci Chado
- Randolph Duke
- Rebecca Danenberg
- Rebecca Minkoff
- Rebecca Taylor
- Reed Krakoff
- Reem Acra
- Requiem
- Revillon
- Réyes
- Riccardo Tisci
- Richard Chai
- Richard Chai Love
- Richard Edwards
- Richard Nicoll
- Richard Tyler
- Rick Owens
- Rick Owens
- Robert Cary-Williams
- Robert Geller
- Robert Geller
- Roberto Cavalli
- Rochas
- Rock & Republic
- Rodarte
- Rodnik
- Roksanda Ilincic
- Roland Mouret
- Rue du Mail
- Ruffian
- Ruffo Research
- Russell Sage
- Rykiel Homme
- Sabyasachi
- Sacai
- Sachin + Babi
- Sally Penn
- Salvatore Ferragamo
- Sari Gueron
- Sass & Bide
- Sean John
- Sebastian Pons
- Seredin & Vasiliev
- Sharon Wauchob
- Shelley Fox
- Shipley & Halmos
- Shipley & Halmos
- Simon Spurr
- Sinha-Stanic
- Sonia Rykiel
- Sophia Kokosalaki
- Sophie Theallet
- Sportmax
- St. John
- Stærk
- Stella McCartney
- Stephen Burrows
- Steven Alan
- Strenesse
- Sue Stemp
- Suno
- Susan Lazar
- Sweetface
- Sykes
- Talbot Runhof
- Talbots
- Tao
- T by Alexander Wang
- Temperley London
- Tess Giberson
- Thakoon
- The Lake & Stars
- The Row
- Theyskens' Theory
- Thimister
- Thimister
- Thomas Tait
- Thom Browne
- Thom Browne
- Threeasfour
- Tibi
- Tim Hamilton
- Tim Hamilton Redux
- Timo Weiland
- Tim van Steenbergen
- Todd Lynn
- Tomas Maier
- TOMMY
- Tommy Hilfiger
- Toni Maticevski
- Tony Melillo
- Topshop Unique
- Topshop Unique
- Tory Burch
- Tracy Reese
- TRIAS
- Tristan Webber
- Trovata
- Trussardi 1911
- TSE
- Tsumori Chisato
- Tuleh
- Twenty8Twelve
- Tyler
- Umit Benan
- Undercover
- Ungaro Couture
- United Bamboo
- Valentino
- Vanessa Bruno
- Vena Cava
- Vera Wang
- Vera Wang Lavender Label
- Veronique Branquinho
- Véronique Leroy
- Verrier
- Versace
- Versus
- Victor Alfaro
- Victor Glemaud
- Victoria Beckham
- Viktor & Rolf
- Vionnet
- Vivienne Tam
- Vivienne Westwood
- Vivienne Westwood Red Label
- VPL
- Walter Van Beirendonck
- Warren Noronha
- Wayne
- Wes Gordon
- Who Is on Next
- William Rast
- Willow
- Wink
- Woolrich Woolen Mills
- Wunderkind
- Y & Kei
- Y-3
- Y-3
- Yigal Azrouël
- Yohji Yamamoto
- Yoko Devereaux
- Y’s
- Yves Saint Laurent
- Zac Posen
- Zero + Maria Cornejo
- Z Spoke by Zac Posen
- Z Zegna
- Z Zegna