Tag: Mensstyle

The most anticipated runway show on the New York Fashion Week calendar, Calvin Klein.  After several years off the schedule the iconic label announced a new collection would be shown from a new creative head.  Veronica Leoni, the Italian designer took charge of the famed brand.  Calvin Klein transcended fashion, from jeans, slogans, scents, ads and commercials, the New York clothier became a part of the cultural landscape. 

Mixing minimalism, athleticism and sensuality a Calvin Klein became one of the top fashion brands in the world.

I’m a sexual person, and that’s reflected in my clothes and my advertisements. Calvin Klein

After selling the company to PVH in 2002, Klein stepped away from the fashion world.  Raf Simons briefly took the helm from 2016 to 2018.  What looked like a perfect fit on paper, soon became a slow-moving clash between creative vision and corporate reality, the Belgium designer left.  After the departure, Calvin Klein stopped presenting runway shows. Instead corporate heads focused on the lucrative under garments, accessories and perfume lines.

Now, Veronica is at bat, the first female to head CK.  The former Celine and The Row designer has the task of breathing new life into the iconic fifty-seven year old clothier. 

I would like to praise the looks but for one reason or another, the feeling of confusion enters my head.   The gender mixed show included shapes and colors that came across as robotic inspired.  The lack of fluid sexuality for a brand known for sex appeal got lost in the modern translation. Where were the bodies? The masculinity. The femininity. 

The streamlined vertical aesthetic took a turn in Leoni’s interpretation. Taken away to the closet replaced with added addendums fitting the times: slouchy jackets with elongated sleeves.

Was this a great collection from Calvin Klein? I expect to see a more concise line the next time.