After the initial breakthrough, Calvin Klein and Palace have presented the official images of the campaign of their next collaboration. The brand is closing its high-end line, in a move that could have domino effects on the American fashion industry. A Calvin Klein spokeswoman said the brand would continue to work with celebrities, but another question is whether those celebrities will want to remain associated with a brand once the glamor of creative credibility disappears. Calvin Klein also plans to emphasize its own digital retail channels, as well as physical ones.
The former CEO of Calvin Klein, Tom Murry, used to refer to the runway as a “marketing expense”. The collaboration with Palace represents the culmination of an end-to-end rebrand that cost Calvin Klein three years and hundreds of millions of dollars. See, for example, Lupita Nyong'o with Calvin Klein with purple beads on the red carpet at the Golden Globes and Lady Gaga in a blush pink strapless column at the Critics' Choice Awards. That company also has a license to sell ready-to-wear, accessories, outerwear, swimwear and Calvin Klein dresses in North America.
