Sex Sells: A Retrospective of Calvin Klein’s Boundary-Pushing Advertisements
In the realm of fashion and advertising, few brands have stirred as much intrigue and controversy as Calvin Klein. Since its inception in 1968, Calvin Klein has consistently defied conventions with its provocative and sexually charged campaigns, often featuring controversial subjects and celebrities. This article embarks on a chronological journey through over five decades of Calvin Klein’s advertisements, highlighting pivotal moments that have shaped the brand’s identity and cemented its place in pop culture history.
1978: Calvin Klein Launches Jeans
Calvin Klein’s foray into the denim category began in 1978 with the introduction of its skin-tight jeans. The brand’s maiden billboard featured model Patti Hansen, captured by Charles Tracy. The advertisement proved so captivating that it remained in the same spot for two years, solidifying Calvin Klein’s position as a pioneer in designer denim.
1980: Brooke Shields’ Controversial Denim Campaign
In 1980, Calvin Klein ignited a firestorm of controversy with a series of television commercials featuring 15-year-old Brooke Shields. The campaign, directed by Richard Avedon, included the now-infamous tagline, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” These ads sparked outrage and were pulled off the air in several countries, yet they inadvertently propelled Brooke Shields to stardom and cemented Calvin Klein’s reputation for boundary-pushing advertising.
1982: Calvin Klein Debuts Underwear
Calvin Klein’s expansion into the underwear market commenced in 1982, with Olympian pole vaulter Tom Hintnaus becoming the first face of Calvin Klein underwear. The brand’s aggressive marketing campaign, coupled with Hintnaus’ chiseled physique, led to a surge in sales, establishing Calvin Klein as a leading player in the designer underwear category.
1985: The Birth of Obsession
Calvin Klein’s venture into fragrances commenced with the launch of Obsession in 1985. The fragrance, renowned for its bold and provocative advertising, swiftly became a bestseller, thanks in part to its iconic black-and-white commercials featuring model Josie Borain.
1988: Christy Turlington Fronts Eternity
In 1988, Calvin Klein introduced Eternity, its second major fragrance. The campaign featured 19-year-old Christy Turlington, who went on to become one of the most iconic supermodels of the era. Eternity’s success propelled Calvin Klein to the forefront of the fragrance industry, establishing it as a major player in the luxury market.
1992: Mark Wahlberg and Kate Moss’ Provocative Underwear Campaign
In 1992, Calvin Klein once again made headlines with its underwear campaign featuring Mark Wahlberg, then known as Marky Mark, and a topless Kate Moss. The campaign, photographed by Herb Ritts, generated immense buzz and catapulted both Wahlberg and Moss to superstardom. However, it also drew criticism for its overtly sexual nature.
1993: Kate Moss as the Face of Obsession
Kate Moss continued her association with Calvin Klein in 1993, becoming the face of Obsession. Her lithe figure and androgynous look ushered in a new era of extremely thin models, shifting beauty standards in the fashion industry.
1994: Calvin Klein Invents the First Unisex Fragrance
In 1994, Calvin Klein broke new ground with the launch of CK One, the first unisex fragrance. The campaign, photographed by Steven Meisel, featured a diverse cast of models, including Jenny Shimizu, and captured the zeitgeist of the time with its message of inclusivity and gender fluidity.
1995: More Advertising Controversy
Calvin Klein faced another round of controversy in 1995 with its jeans campaign featuring Kate Moss and other models in a wood-paneled basement setting. The television commercials, which showed an anonymous man asking the models to undress, were deemed too provocative and were pulled from the air. The incident led to an investigation by the Justice Department, but charges against Calvin Klein were eventually dropped.
2006: Kate Moss Makes Her Calvin Klein Comeback
After a brief hiatus, Kate Moss returned to Calvin Klein in 2006, appearing alongside actor Jamie Dornan in a campaign photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. Moss’ comeback marked a triumphant moment for the brand and solidified her status as a Calvin Klein icon.
2008: Eva Mendes Becomes a Calvin Klein Spokesmodel
In 2008, Calvin Klein tapped Eva Mendes as the face of its new fragrance, Secret Obsession. The campaign, shot by Steven Meisel, featured Mendes in a nude pose, which was deemed too risqué for American television networks and was banned from airing.
2011: CK One Reinvents Itself
In 2011, Calvin Klein relaunched CK One with a new advertising campaign directed by Steven Meisel. The campaign featured a grainy, surveillance-like aesthetic and a diverse cast of models, including Rita Ora and Abbey Lee Kershaw. The relaunch aimed to revitalize the brand’s iconic fragrance and appeal to a new generation of consumers.
2013: Calvin Klein Makes Its First Super Bowl Ad
Calvin Klein made its Super Bowl debut in 2013 with an advertisement for its new underwear line, Calvin Klein Concept. The 30-second spot featured model Matthew Terry showcasing the seamless design of the underwear. The ad generated significant buzz and marked a milestone for the brand’s foray into mainstream advertising.
2015: Justin Bieber Poses for Calvin Klein
In 2015, Calvin Klein tapped Justin Bieber as its newest spokesperson. The singer posed with Lara Stone in a series of black-and-white photographs, shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, that paid homage to the iconic Mark Wahlberg and Kate Moss campaign of 1992.
2015: Kendall Jenner Makes Her Calvin Klein Debut
That same year, Kendall Jenner joined the ranks of Calvin Klein models, appearing in the #mycalvins campaign. However, Calvin Klein himself expressed reservations about Jenner’s involvement, stating that it was not the kind of campaign he would have done.
2018: The Kardashians in Their Calvins
In 2018, Calvin Klein featured the entire Kardashian clan in its spring campaign, photographed by Willy Vanderperre. The campaign showcased the reality television family in Calvin Klein jeans and underwear, generating immense media attention and solidifying the brand’s association with celebrity culture.
2019: #MyCalvins Goes Digital-First
In 2019, Calvin Klein shifted its focus to a digital-first, socially amplified advertising model. The #MyCalvins campaign featured a diverse cast of celebrities and models, including Kendall Jenner, Shawn Mendes, and A$AP Rocky, and was distributed across various social media platforms, including TikTok.
2020: Christy Turlington Returns to Front Eternity
Decades after the original Eternity campaign, Christy Turlington returned to front the fragrance alongside her husband, actor Ed Burns. The black-and-white photographs captured the couple embracing on the beach, evoking the timeless allure of the fragrance.
2023: Calvins or Nothing
Calvin Klein’s spring 2023 campaign, titled “Calvins or Nothing,” continued the brand’s tradition of featuring high-profile celebrities. The campaign, directed and photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, included Jennie Kim of Blackpink, Kendall Jenner, Michael B. Jordan, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. However, one image featuring FKA Twigs in a revealing pose was banned in the United Kingdom for objectifying women.
Conclusion:
Throughout its history, Calvin Klein has consistently pushed the boundaries of advertising, using provocative imagery and controversial subject matter to capture the public’s attention. The brand’s advertisements have launched the careers of countless models and celebrities, and have become iconic cultural artifacts in their own right. While Calvin Klein’s campaigns have often sparked controversy, they have also cemented the brand’s position as a fashion and cultural powerhouse, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.