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| Kate Moss for Calvin Klein via |
If you could pause Calvin Klein model and recording artist Frank Ocean’s finally released album for a minute, let’s take a moment to discuss Raf Simons appointment as chief creative officer at Calvin Klein. In an Instagram post (of course) the brand announced the global restructuring and new direction under Simons which includes the streamlining of all Calvin Klein brands under one vision. Pieter Mulier, Simons’ longtime assistant (you may remember him from Dior and I) has been appointed creative director and will report to Simons. The role gives Simons complete control over the brand’s image, overseeing “all aspects of Design, Global Marketing and Communications, and Visual Creative Services.” The appointment marks a huge shift for the company and a huge shift for the designer.
The aesthetic of Calvin Klein falls somewhere between the minimalism of Jil Sander and the femininity of Christian Dior. When Fransisco Costa exited womenswear and Simons’ name was thrown around, it made sense. Calvin Klein is also known for logo sports bra, underwear and the accompanying ads that defined 90s style. Simons’s new role covers far more than womenswear and the brand’s aesthetic (minimalism, nostalgia and the kind of ads you’d tear out for your moodboard) seems to align perfectly with Simons’, So what can we expect from the appointment? Will it be as deeply personal and nostalgic as his eponymous brand? Hopefully Simons and Mulier will be dipping into the Calvin Klein archives and bringing back some of the label’s 90s looks, (which Vogue Runway just digitized.) If Simons’ past work is any indication, especially his work for his own brand, this appointment is the perfect fit. Unfortunately, we still have to wait a bit before we see how it turns out.