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Published: October 11, 2006
When observing the ever-changing world of fashion, it is easy to see the lengths many up-and-coming fashion designers will go in order to garner attention.
Fashion designers start trends, host gimmicky and theatrical fashion shows, and sometimes rely on past eras for design inspiration. Even after attention has been achieved and celebrities and celebutantes are sporting their new designs, these fashion designers have to fight to stay relevant. It is rather difficult in the fickle fashion world to achieve iconic, let alone classic, status. But two famous fashion designers – Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein – have managed to do just that.
Calvin Klein is perhaps one of the few famous American fashion designers who has managed to remain relevant in the fashion world. Klein was born in November 1942 in the Bronx, N.Y. He was part of a Jewish community responsible for spurring a trio of famous designers, including Robert Denning and Ralph Lauren. After working as an apprentice for Baron de Gunzburg, he was credited with having his own unique design style. Soon, Klein became the toast of New York. After Fashion Week, his designs were lauded for their clean lines and simple cuts.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he received many awards, most notably the Coty Award, which he received three times. This was a formative period for Klein; he built his empire during this time. During this time, Klein went on to be described as the “master of minimalism.”
Klein’s line soon sported everything from cosmetics and sunglasses to menswear and furs. As lovely as his minimalist designs were, it was his jeans responsible for skyrocketing him into mainstream popularity – he claims more than 200,000 pairs were sold during their first week on the market.
The advertisements for his jeans also launched the careers for many famous models, most notably Brooke Shields, Kate Moss and a delectably underwear-clad Mark Wahlberg. In 1979, Shields claimed nothing came between her and her Calvins in an infamous TV commercial. In the 1990s, Kate Moss coquettishly posed topless, waiflike and wearing only her Calvins. And who can forget the pants-dropping, crotch-grabbing styling of Mark Wahlberg, then known as Marky Mark? After Wahlberg dropped ‘trou’ for Calvin Klein, the boxers became known as Calvins.
Klein also launched a sportswear line and a series of fragrances personifying the self-absorbed ethos of the grunge era. In December 2002, Calvin Klein, Inc. was bought by Phillips Van Heusen Corp. for several hundred million dollars.
Ralph Lauren is another famous fashion designer who has achieved iconic status. Like Klein, Lauren was born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrant parents. However, Lauren did not share the same formative education as Klein. Lauren did not grow up in a world of fashion; instead, he created it. He began working after school at a young age to buy expensive suits. Otherwise, the only exposure he had to fashion was his two-year stint (1962 to 1964) as a Brooks Brothers salesman. Lauren created his famous Polo label at this time.
As a fashion designer, Lauren is most notable for having created the luxuriously preppy look. His suit was considered the power suit to have in the early 1980s. During this time he also launched a women’s clothing line, as well as a home furnishing line including bed linens, towels and furniture. Just about everything was emblazoned with the little polo logo – his famous polo shirts, pants, pillows and towels.
So much of Lauren’s success lies in the fact that he has been able to infiltrate many levels of American fashion, in addition to his interpretation of the American dream. It was a dream meant to be shared with every man, woman and child through his luxurious line of clothing.
Sources:
“Ralph Lauren.” 3 October 2006. Wikipedia. 11 October 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ralph_lauren/
“Calvin Klein.” 3 October 2006. Wikipedia. 11 October 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/calvin_klein/
“Ralph Lauren.” 12 May 2006. Infomat. 11 October 2006. http://www.infomat.com/whoswho/ralphlauren.html> ;
Fashion designers start trends, host gimmicky and theatrical fashion shows, and sometimes rely on past eras for design inspiration. Even after attention has been achieved and celebrities and celebutantes are sporting their new designs, these fashion designers have to fight to stay relevant. It is rather difficult in the fickle fashion world to achieve iconic, let alone classic, status. But two famous fashion designers – Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein – have managed to do just that.
Calvin Klein is perhaps one of the few famous American fashion designers who has managed to remain relevant in the fashion world. Klein was born in November 1942 in the Bronx, N.Y. He was part of a Jewish community responsible for spurring a trio of famous designers, including Robert Denning and Ralph Lauren. After working as an apprentice for Baron de Gunzburg, he was credited with having his own unique design style. Soon, Klein became the toast of New York. After Fashion Week, his designs were lauded for their clean lines and simple cuts.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he received many awards, most notably the Coty Award, which he received three times. This was a formative period for Klein; he built his empire during this time. During this time, Klein went on to be described as the “master of minimalism.”
Klein’s line soon sported everything from cosmetics and sunglasses to menswear and furs. As lovely as his minimalist designs were, it was his jeans responsible for skyrocketing him into mainstream popularity – he claims more than 200,000 pairs were sold during their first week on the market.
The advertisements for his jeans also launched the careers for many famous models, most notably Brooke Shields, Kate Moss and a delectably underwear-clad Mark Wahlberg. In 1979, Shields claimed nothing came between her and her Calvins in an infamous TV commercial. In the 1990s, Kate Moss coquettishly posed topless, waiflike and wearing only her Calvins. And who can forget the pants-dropping, crotch-grabbing styling of Mark Wahlberg, then known as Marky Mark? After Wahlberg dropped ‘trou’ for Calvin Klein, the boxers became known as Calvins.
Klein also launched a sportswear line and a series of fragrances personifying the self-absorbed ethos of the grunge era. In December 2002, Calvin Klein, Inc. was bought by Phillips Van Heusen Corp. for several hundred million dollars.
Ralph Lauren is another famous fashion designer who has achieved iconic status. Like Klein, Lauren was born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrant parents. However, Lauren did not share the same formative education as Klein. Lauren did not grow up in a world of fashion; instead, he created it. He began working after school at a young age to buy expensive suits. Otherwise, the only exposure he had to fashion was his two-year stint (1962 to 1964) as a Brooks Brothers salesman. Lauren created his famous Polo label at this time.
As a fashion designer, Lauren is most notable for having created the luxuriously preppy look. His suit was considered the power suit to have in the early 1980s. During this time he also launched a women’s clothing line, as well as a home furnishing line including bed linens, towels and furniture. Just about everything was emblazoned with the little polo logo – his famous polo shirts, pants, pillows and towels.
So much of Lauren’s success lies in the fact that he has been able to infiltrate many levels of American fashion, in addition to his interpretation of the American dream. It was a dream meant to be shared with every man, woman and child through his luxurious line of clothing.
Sources:
“Ralph Lauren.” 3 October 2006. Wikipedia. 11 October 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ralph_lauren/
“Calvin Klein.” 3 October 2006. Wikipedia. 11 October 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/calvin_klein/
“Ralph Lauren.” 12 May 2006. Infomat. 11 October 2006. http://www.infomat.com/whoswho/ralphlauren.html> ;
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