The return of Calvin Klein to New Your Fashion Week, led by its first-ever female creative director, Veronica Leoni, envisions and celebrates the art of desire
When it comes to heritage, how do you bring it forward without getting stuck in the past? Calvin Klein is, at its core, an American institution—its name framed in pop culture, its aesthetic shaping decades of fashion. More than just clothes, it’s a feeling, a way of being. Veronica Leoni’s debut for Calvin Klein Collection at New York Fashion Week marks the return of this iconic label, which was quietly discontinued in 2019. Known for its modern New York minimalism, Calvin Klein Collection was always something more—now, under Leoni’s guidance, it is back with a new perspective that breathes life into its legacy.
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Leoni, who has worked for Jil Sander, Phoebe Philo’s Céline, Moncler, and The Row, has proven to be the ideal curator for Calvin Klein’s most luxurious line. Her version of the brand is a lecture in elegant control. This is a reincarnation that speaks of desire—not just as something external, but also as something inward and empowering.
As Leoni stated, “Most of the time, we see women as objects of desire. But what if they become the people who desire?” This collection turns that idea on its head, shifting the focus from passive to active desire. It focuses on the confident, self-assured women who are both the desire and the desirer, commanding the room, commanding the runway.
The collection’s color story sticks to a sharp mix of dark neutrals with a sprinkle of earth tones, like someone who’s cool without trying. It’s the kind of wardrobe that doesn’t need to scream to be noticed, but still makes you wonder how that slip dress could possibly look so good just hanging there. Satin skirts move like they’ve got somewhere better to be, and sharp tailoring is a subtle flex for people who know that looking like you tried too hard is the real crime. It’s fashion for those who understand the power of looking put-together, without trying too hard.
Denim, a cornerstone of Calvin Klein’s legacy, is here in its most pure form: straight-legged, lightly faded, and paired with square-toed loafers that ground the look in a practical reality. The ’90s are here, but they’ve been transformed—slightly, slightly weathered, but never stale.
Leoni’s brilliance comes in how she reclaims that ‘90s nostalgia and makes it feel like something you’d wear tomorrow, not yesterday. The slip dress, a true CK icon (just ask Cher Horowitz), gets an update—still simple, but with a refresh that feels right for now. Leather blazers and menswear-inspired jackets keep their edge but are softened with fabrics that flow like they know they’re better than you. It’s the mix of structure and ease, like a standoff between power and relaxation. The elongated sleeve is a recurring theme, a nod to CK’s understated sex appeal, strutting across dresses and knits alike. It’s a language of effortless cool that Leoni has mastered.
Calvin Klein Collection steps back into the conversation with purpose. It speaks to the allure of the brand itself, to the sensual cool that made it iconic in the first place. Veronica Leoni’s debut looks to making clothes that feel just as desirable now as they did in their heyday. The kind of pieces that slip into your wardrobe and stay there, worn with ease and confidence. Calvin Klein Collection is back, and it knows exactly why we missed it.
Photos: CALVIN KLEIN
