Boldness, elegance, and restraint—these words perfectly describe American designer Calvin Klein and his globally renowned clothing brand. His original ideas changed 20th-century fashion. He created the first designer jeans, versatile underwear, and brand-name perfumes that remained at the height of popularity for decades. Starting from scratch, this genius achieved incredible success, building a fashion empire that has forever made its mark in history. Read more at newyorkski.
Calvin Klein’s biography is filled with many fascinating events. They serve as a great example for young designers and all fashion enthusiasts who also aspire to achieve success in life.
A Passion for Fashion from Childhood: How Calvin Klein Decided to Become a Designer
The future genius of global fashion was born on November 19, 1942, in the Bronx, New York, though few people know that his ancestors were from Ukraine. Calvin grew up in a family of Ukrainian-Jewish American descent. His father was an immigrant from the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine. His mother was born in America but was also the daughter of immigrants from Bukovina. His parents worked hard to provide for the family. They taught Klein from a young age to be persistent and hardworking. This was likely one of the secrets to his great success. While his peers were playing outside, Klein happily stayed home and pursued his creativity. The boy spent a lot of time with his grandmother, who was a seamstress. He spent hours learning to sew and draw sketches of women in suits and dresses. Over time, his simple hobby grew into a desire to become a fashion designer.
From Student to Founder of a Fashion Company: The Beginning of Calvin Klein’s Journey in Fashion
At 18, he graduated from New York’s High School of Art and Design. He then studied for two years at the Fashion Institute of Technology before starting his career and gaining his first professional experience. From 1962 to 1968, Calvin worked at various fashion houses in New York. His main task was to create copies of designs from European runways. Copying was common practice in the American fashion industry at the time, but Klein wanted to change that, striving for originality and uniqueness in his designs. He wanted to stand out from other designers and show the world that you could wear beautiful and comfortable clothes in different styles, from bright colors with prints to neutral, classic looks. Later, thanks to Calvin, clothing that was suitable for both men and women was created. In the late 90s, Calvin dreamed of opening his own company, despite being nearly bankrupt and working part-time at his father’s grocery store. Passionate about his craft, he happily developed his own clothing sketches in his free time.
An Unexpected First Break That Forever Changed the Life of a Novice Designer
In 1968, 26-year-old Calvin Klein took the first step toward his dream, founding Calvin Klein Ltd. in partnership with his childhood friend Barry Schwartz. They launched the business with $12,000 they had saved for a long time. The young entrepreneurs got their first big order quite by accident. The vice president of the famous American department store “Bonwit Teller” went down to the wrong floor and walked into Klein’s workshop. Impressed by the designer’s line of trench coats, the client placed a $50,000 order. But that wasn’t all. Klein was then featured in a Vogue magazine article. Just like that, the name Calvin Klein gained its first major popularity. These events inspired Calvin to create a new clothing line. His intuition, as always, guided him in the right direction. The first collection was shown in 1970. It was distinguished by its elegance and modesty. The young designer managed to create beautiful pieces that were unlike anything else at the time, so they were a huge hit with fashion fans. In 1973, Klein won his first Coty Award, and in 1975, he was recognized as the youngest designer to achieve such grand success.
How Calvin Klein Became a 20th-Century Fashion Legend
Even after becoming a popular designer, Calvin didn’t rest on his laurels. He wanted to revolutionize the fashion industry, and he succeeded. He first focused on perfecting women’s coats and accessories. He created clothing collections for women that could be mixed and matched to create any comfortable everyday look. He also started producing clothes for men. Customers loved that he offered a large selection of clothing in various styles. The 1980s were a pivotal time in the designer’s life. It was then that he launched his first line of straight-cut, minimalist jeans, which featured the brand name on the back pocket. In just the first week, Calvin sold $200,000 worth of them. The scandalous advertising campaigns increased customer interest in his brand and helped him achieve the status of a “superdesigner.” Over the next few years, his jeans were sold not only in New York but in stores all over the world. Demand for them eventually declined, but this didn’t discourage Calvin Klein. He decided to take another risk and offer customers new products of his own. For example, in 1985, he launched a line of perfumes that also quickly became very popular.