Veronica Leoni redefines American minimalism for a new era at Calvin Klein

It has been six years since Calvin Klein ceased operations of its high-end collection line, which, under its final iteration helmed by Belgian designer Raf Simons, carried the unwieldy moniker of 205W39NYC. Despite its avant-garde aesthetic and cult following, Simons’ tenure never fully resonated with the broader Calvin Klein audience. Prior to that, PVH Corp., which acquired the brand in 2003, had long struggled to recapture the magic of the 1990s—a period widely regarded as the heyday of Calvin Klein’s luxury offering.

Fast-forward to New York Fashion Week, February 2025, and the much-anticipated return of the Calvin Klein Collection, now under the creative direction of Italian designer Veronica Leoni, offered a fresh take on the brand’s minimalist heritage. Appointed in May 2024, Leoni brings impressive credentials: a finalist for the 2023 LVMH Prize with her own label, Quira, and previous experience at The Row, Céline under Phoebe Philo, and Jil Sander. Leoni’s objective for this new chapter was clear: “To erase everything that has been done after [Mr. Klein] left, and restart like it was the first day,” she explained backstage.

The challenge of reinterpreting Calvin Klein’s legacy

Leoni’s mission is no small feat: to reinterpret Calvin Klein’s sleek, sexy minimalism for a modern audience while balancing the realities of a premium rather than luxury fashion positioning under PVH. In contrast to Simons’ intellectual, high-culture approach, Leoni opted for a more accessible interpretation of American sportswear, rooted in the brand’s DNA but updated with contemporary elements. Think checked shirts paired with perfectly cut jeans—a clear nod to Calvin Klein’s storied past in casual Americana, but refreshed for 2025.

Where Klein’s designs were often about reduction and purity, Leoni added layers and volume, with mixed results. Silhouettes ran large with unnecessary detailing. Exaggerated sleeves and blanket layered coats seemed fussy and impractical. While dramatic proportions are a mainstay of current runway trends, there’s a fine line between fashion-forward and functional—a tension that was evident in several of the collection’s looks and one that Mr Klein knew instinctively how to balance. The over-arching vision for the brand was not immediately apparent, as many looks could easily be transported to a myriad of other runways.

Yet there were also highlights. Outerwear and tailoring stood out as a core strength, with elongated trenches and sharp, precisely tailored coats that felt both modern and timeless. These pieces could easily translate to CK Jeans and other diffusion lines, offering PVH a valuable opportunity to extend the Collection’s influence across the brand’s commercial ecosystem.

The path to relevance: Advertising and cultural capital

For the Calvin Klein Collection to achieve sustained success, PVH will need to deploy its formidable marketing machine. Historically, Calvin Klein’s most significant cultural impact has come through iconic advertising campaigns, from the provocative 1990s imagery starring Kate Moss and Mark Wahlberg to more recent campaigns with actors like Jeremy Allen White.

If the new Collection line is to generate comparable buzz, advertising will need to build on this heritage while reflecting contemporary tastes—perhaps blending the nostalgic appeal of 1990s Calvin Klein with the clean, forward-looking aesthetic that Leoni is cultivating.

A promising start

There is genuine goodwill for the return of Calvin Klein Collection, and Leoni’s debut offered a promising foundation. While there are refinements to be made—particularly in bringing a unique perspective and avoiding runway excess—the core elements are in place. The outerwear pieces alone suggest that Leoni understands how to balance modernity with the brand’s heritage, an approach that could yield commercial success if properly executed.

Ultimately, time will tell whether Leoni’s trajectory will prove more enduring than her predecessor’s. But for now, her collection offers a hopeful signal that Calvin Klein’s high-fashion line is back on a path worth watching.