Calvin Klein

Brand

Calvin Klein Inc. is an American fashion brand founded in 1968 by Calvin Klein. It is one of the most recognized fashion brands in the world. The line began when Calvin Klein and childhood friend Barry Schwartz founded Calvin Klein Ltd., a coat shop in New York City. A year later, Calvin Klein released his first collection: a line of men's and women's coats featured at the New York City store. In 1969, Klein appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine. By 1971, sportswear and classic blazers, as well as lingerie were added to his women's collection portfolio. The line was quickly growing and by 1977 he had licenses for scarves, shoes, belts, furs, sunglasses, and sheets as well as cosmetics, jeans, and menswear. In the mid-1970s, he had created a designer-jeans craze by putting his name on the back pocket. The jeans were famously advertised with a commercial featuring a 15-year-old Brooke Shields. In the 1980s, as the designer-jeans frenzy reached its all-time high, Calvin Klein introduced a highly successful line of boxer shorts for women and a men’s underwear collection. The stunning growth continued through the early eighties. Although the company almost faced bankruptcy in 1992, Calvin Klein managed to regain and increase the profitability of his empire throughout the later 90s, mainly through the success of its highly popular underwear and fragrance lines, as well as the ck sportswear line. The success of the company can be partially credited to the company’s creative advertising strategies. Early ads in the 1980s were shot by Bruce Weber. Additionally, Calvin Klein's advertising campaigns are frequently controversial yet successful. One of Klein’s male underwear models, Mark Wahlberg, went on to fame as hip hop star 'Marky Mark', launching himself into the Hollywood scene to become a current "A-list" actor. Another Hollywood star owing his respectable career to the Calvin Klein advertisements is Antonio Sabato Jr.. In the early '90s, Calvin Klein was also responsible for launching the international career of supermodel Kate Moss and offering her another opportunity to revive her career in 2002. Other spokesmodels such as Natalia Vodianova and Toni Garrn, have had careers launched by Mr. Klein himself. Other models have included Doutzen Kroes, Coco Rocha, Mini Anden, Alessandra Ambrosio and Lara Stone. Klein sold the company to Phillips-Van Heusen in 2003, and his Brazilian protégé, Francisco Costa, was appointed creative director of the women’s line. Today, Costa is the label’s most visible face, and his collections have been well received by both critics and the industry. Italo Zucchelli helms menswear, and Kevin Carrigan oversees the sportswear and retail line of Calvin Klein and ck Calvin Klein as well as the licensing arms.

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