Photo: David Shankbone / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
What fascinates me about Calvin Klein is how completely he understood that a name could become an idea. Plenty of designers make beautiful clothes; very few turn two words into shorthand for an entire aesthetic of clean lines, restraint, and a certain urban cool. Starting from the Bronx and launching his company in 1968, he proved minimalism could be commercial without losing its edge, extending into perfume, watches, and jewellery before lifestyle branding was even a term. I'd argue his real medium was advertising as much as fabric; he changed how products are allowed to speak. The 2001 CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award reads to me less like a prize than a formality.
Overview
Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer. In 1968, he launched the company that later became Calvin Klein. In addition to clothing, he has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewellery.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Calvin Klein
- Name (Japanese)
- カルバン・クライン
- Reading
- かるばん・くらいん
- Born
- November 19, 1942 (age 83)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Horse
- Origin
- The Bronx, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- designer / fashion designer / actor / businessperson
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- High School of Art and Design
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 2001 CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Designer — see all → · Fashion designer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.