Calvin Klein’s latest collection marks a bold shift under its new creative director, embracing a refined, minimalist aesthetic over its signature casual branding. Drawing inspiration from Georgia O’Keeffe—a painter once admired by the brand’s founder—the designs feature stripped-down silhouettes and a checked pattern reminiscent of the artist’s utilitarian yet stylish wardrobe. The collection replaces bold logos with understated elegance, including a hardware-free wrap coat and tailored basics, reflecting a philosophy of "discipline of removal." Meanwhile, Michael Kors has acknowledged a debt to Alexander Calder, hinting at a broader trend of high art influencing contemporary fashion.
Georgia O’Keeffe inspires the latest Calvin Klein while Michael Kors feels indebted to Alexander CalderCalvin Klein has taken a highbrow turn in the two years since Veronica Leoni took charge. The Italian designer, a philosophy graduate who was schooled in the chic design studios of Jil Sander and Celine, has shifted away from jeans, boxer shorts and logos, stripping the brand to its minimalist bones: slip dresses and simple coats, slim skirts and crisp T-shirts.Leoni called this the “discipline of removal”. Her muse this season was Georgia O’Keeffe, an artist who the brand’s namesake founder admired. Klein bought O’Keeffe’s painting Summer Days in 1983 for $1m, subsequently donating it to the Whitney Museum. A checked pattern taken from O’Keeffe’s distinctive capsule wardrobe of utilitarian chic appeared on this catwalk as a wrap coat, hardware-free with a fabric belt and no buttons. Continue reading...
