After taking a 6 and a half year hiatus, Calvin Klein is finally making its way back to the runway for the FW25 season at NYFW. It’s not easy when NY OGs like Tommy Hilfiger or Ralph Lauren don’t show as consistently as they used to, and with new talents like Willy Chavarria making a B-line to Paris or Milan, Calvin Klein might just become the new mainstay of NYFW that they’ve been desperately crying out for.
This grand return is being marked by a revived line in the CK family titled Calvin Klein Collection - the most premium ready-to-wear label - and headlined by creative director Veronica Leoni, who becomes the first woman to be at the helm of the American brand. She succeeds Raf Simons (he renamed the Collection label 205W39NYC after the office’s address), who left his role at the end of 2018 and with her experiences at Phoebe Philo’s Celine, Jil Sander and The Row, she’s defo more than qualified to take on the job. I mean, she even founded her own label, Quira, in 2021, which specialises in tastefully minimalistic womenswear from tailored suits to pleated skirts, earning her a spot as an LVMH Prize finalist back in 2023.
With her background in elegant and muted styles and the close-up teasers we’ve been getting on Calvin Klein’s Instagram, the direction of the Collection line was pretty clear from the get-go. It was all about monumental minimalism for the great comeback, accentuating the beauty in gracefully draped fabrics with a neutral palette that was effortless in look but intricate in detailing. Kendall Jenner walking out in a grey, pinstriped ankle-length coat that, apart from the oversized, slouchy shoulders, was rooted in simplistic beauty really set the tone for what’s to come.
Wearability was a crucial point for Leoni and CK to tap into with this collection, creating addicting wardrobe staples that, rather than defining the wearer, would become a blank canvas for the wearer to express themselves onto. Coats were relaxed in cut yet remained polished through in its composition and through details like an oversized funnel collar. Capes were a definite standout within the collection, layered over each other to create a stacked look that added a monochrome dimension and a certain nonchalance that few items provide.
The elongated sleeve motif that was seen on dresses and knitwear builds on the nonchalant elegance that’s ever-present throughout all the looks, giving off a look and feel that’s quintessential in the CK DNA. This carries on over to the juxtaposition of draped, loose fabrics and stiffer, structured textiles that, thanks to the cut and styling, remain completely effortless in attitude.
Along with the immaculate tailoring and the denim touches throughout the collection, this is an ode to ‘90s CK in such a subtle way that you’d almost miss it. It’s a refreshing debut from Leoni, breathing fresh air onto the dusty, forgotten Collection line in the way she knew best. Welcome back, Calvin Klein.
Featured image via Getty©
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