Born in the Bronx, New York in 1942, Calvin Klein always had a passion for apparel. He pursued his love of clothing by studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York before going on to become an apprentice for suit manufacturer, Dan Millstein, for two years.
After his apprenticeship, Klein became an independent designer, working with a number of companies throughout New York. In 1968, he launched his own label, Calvin Klein Inc., in partnership with friend Barry Schwartz.
Established with just $10,000, CK began with designing and selling women’s coats, but the company only really became recognised by the fashion world after receiving a huge order from NY department store, Bonwit Teller.
In 1970s Calvin added a sportswear collection to his coats designs, which were increasingly popular and included full ready-to-wear collections.
In 1973, Calvin became the youngest person to win the Coty American Fashion Critics’ award for his work, which he went on to win for another two years in a row. Soon after, CK expanded its lines to jeans, accessories, underwear and menswear.
With celebrity models, such as actor Mark Wahlberg and football legend, David Beckham donning their billboard, its easy to see why CK is one of the biggest brands in the world.
Shop the full collection of Calvin Klein at Footasylum now and dress like the best.
