November 19, 1942 in the United States of America, namely in the famous city of New York, was born Kelvin Klein. Kelvin's father was the owner of a small shop. Thanks to my grandmother, Kelvin learned how to sew on a sewing machine, my mother helped to form an impeccable taste, they always went to the shops of the ready dress and tailors together. The boy was present regularly when talking about styles and fashion. Kelvin Klein says that at 5 he dreamed of a fashion designer's future. Therefore, he had no choice where to study and where to go after school.
Among the best he graduated from the Higher School of Art. Then in 1960-1962 he entered and studied at the Technological Institute of Fashion. In parallel with his studies, Calvin practiced in the studio, where he helped to make out the costumes. After that he had to work with many designers and even draw portraits of passers-by on the streets. This activity was mainly for the experience, as it did not bring much money. Free evenings Calvin occupied with the creation of his portfolio.
The history of the brand began in 1968, when Kelvin and his old friend Barry Schwarz organized Calvin Klein, Ltd in New York. Barry gave money, and Kelvin always had not one idea left. Klein made his first collection and decided to put it in a hotel on one of the floors. One day, the director of the boutique, which is located on the floor above, confused the buttons in the elevator and got to the very floor where the models were shown. The Kelvin collection impressed the businessman so much that he decided to immediately place an order for 50 thousand dollars. For Kelvin Klein it was a leap into his own fashion world, his name became famous, and so material independence emerged.
Klein started the work of his studio with a collection of outerwear for men, but gradually took up the design of women's clothing. In the 70's, he opened a men's suit for a woman's figure. In 1970, Calvin released a shortened double-breasted coat with wide lapels, or, so-called PeaCoat (pea coat). This model has become the most popular clothing of the season, moreover, has become fashionable for the next 10 years.
Kelvin in 1973 received the award "Kochi" for the creation of refined and perfectly sewn clothes. So he was the first young designer in fashion history to receive this award.
And in 1974, the designer created a new collection of fur clothes and accessories. Soon, he got tired of going on a well-adjusted path, and Klein decided to prepare his first "explosion", which shocked absolutely the whole world of fashion along with American public moral principles. In the end, 1978 was marked by the release of designer jeans, and here the designer became the first. Of clothes that are considered everyday and cheap enough, he presented them as clothes for stylish and fashionable youth. The ideal cut was clearly defined by the figure and created an emphasis on the length and slender legs, the Calvin Klein and Omega logo was placed on the back pocket.
Kelvin decided to make a provocative advertisement. And so, in 1980, the designer with the help of photographer Bruce Weber created a promotional poster of jeans with Brooke Shields, which became a sex symbol and movie star. Then in America a scandal broke out, Klein was accused of using minors, and the shooting was said to be close to pornographic. Withdrawing jeans from production, the scandal was eliminated, and the company was able to return to the already classic model only in 1998.
In 1982, Klein developed a new collection, consisting of men's underwear, which necessarily included a wide corset with the Calvin Klein brand logo. In the role of models for advertising underwear, supermodel D. West and rapper M. Mark were chosen, and the half-naked male body became for the first time an aesthetic element. Klein argued that he designed underwear to make people become sexy.
In the 80s, the designer focused on the development and production of jeans and underwear. Advertising did not pass without scandals, which has already become part of the image of the designer. Klein had to pay a fine of a million dollars, which put the church for the poster "The Last Supper from Klein." He had a well-known biblical story, but the models on it were in jeans and with half-naked bodies.
In 1992, Kelvin again shocked America. This year he created a new youth style "unisex", which later became very popular. Then, as an advertisement, a poster with a young model Kate Moss and rapper M. Mark was released. Clothing with the Calvin Klein logo could be worn by young people of any gender, this concept was received with great success.
In 1999, the designer, for the umpteenth time, provoked a new scandal with advertising. Klein released a new collection that represented children's underwear, as well as underwear for teens. Photos with children were considered too frivolous. As a result, the designer apologized, and the advertising campaign was suspended so that there were no more harsh accusations.
The business was on its way, and Klein's company was no longer limited to a small studio, but turned into a multi-million empire, an annual turnover of about $ 5 billion. The correct marketing move and policy have created a clear image, associations have more deeply entered the subconscious of buyers. Conflicts and scandals periodically helped to create and maintain an advertising image, the slogan of which was looseness, youth and sexuality. Kelvin Klein is considered the first designer to dress people "from head to foot," in his collections there were underwear and accessories. Having established themselves in the USA and European countries, in the 90s the company started moving towards the east, boutiques were opened in Kuwait, Jakarta and Hong Kong.
Klein quickly reacted to the change of fashion trends in the world, which helped him to achieve even greater success. At the beginning of the XXI century, he developed a new collection in the style of "military". Soon the designer released a coat-overcoat, trousers-knee pads, skirts to the knees of khaki.
In addition to clothing, Calvin released several fragrances, each of which included both male and female smell. In 1983 appeared "Eternity", in 1985 - "Obsession", and in 1986 - "Otdushina". Spirits that emphasize the delicate style of clothing, are still a huge success, so they have a lot of fakes. In 1998, the aroma "Contradiction" was released, which eventually became the most famous, and was calculated on people who are coping with their problems on their own.