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Calvin Klein S/S 2018

Art / Architecture / Design / Fashion

Since taking the creative reins of Calvin Klein just over one year ago, Raf Simons has established a concise group of core design narratives that the Belgium designer has been expanding upon each season. These visual representations of classic Americana culture have solidified the brand as the quintessentially modern American fashion house, all while establishing a feverishly loyal fan base of committed consumers.


Posted June 5th, 2018 By Colby Mugrabi

For spring/summer 2018, Simons’ second runway collection for the house, the designer expanded on key silhouettes and hallmark accessories introduced in his premier collection – tailored pants, denim, contemporary western button-downs, cowboy boots and quilts – further modernizing these creative narratives through novel fabrication techniques and a newly-established collaboration with the Warhol Foundation; an apt partnership symbolizing the genesis of two Western icons.

There was an underlying duality of happy and horror this season, most appropriately expressed in the pop-centric collection’s visual motifs and methods of fabrication – from fitted, monochromatic rubber separates to giant colorful pom-pom dresses; Warhol, himself, drew sizable inspiration from the concept of creative contradiction, often employing bright colors and the art of repetition to numb the eye to dark, at times tragic subject matter. Case in point, Warhol’s ‘Disaster Series’ from the 1960s, of which multiple images from this iconic body of work appeared on garments throughout the show. At closer consideration, the collection’s silkscreened motifs are the most obvious but perhaps not the most significant connection between Raf’s Calvin Klein and the Pop artist; both Simons and Warhol share in like methods of creation, grounded in their establishment of a trademark visual language from which they continue to build, all while maintaining genuine to their initial creative objective.

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References
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Warren McArthur

Armchair, model 20 , 1930

Warren mcarthur  armchair  model 20   1930

Andy Warhol

Little Electric Chair, 1964-1965

Andy warhol  little electric chair  1964 1965

Bonnie Cashin

Cotton, leather and metal Ensemble, 1978

Bonnie cashin  cotton  leather and metal ensemble  1978

Frank Stella

AGADIR I, 1964

Frank stella  agadir i  1964

Jean Prouvé

6X6 Demountable House, 1944-1945

Jean prouv   6x6 demountable house  1944 1945

Man Ray

Venus, 1937

Man ray  venus  1937

Yves Saint Laurent

Rive Gauche Spring/Summer 1998

Ysl rive gauche ss 1998.jpg

Andy Warhol

Five Deaths on Orange, 1963

Andy warhol  five deaths on orange  1963

Kem Weber

Armchair 1934

Kem weber armchair 1934

Helmut and June Newton

Robert Mapplethorpe, 1970s

Helmut and june newton  robert mapplethorpe  1970s

John Mason

Orange Cross, 1963

John mason  orange cross  1963

John Mason

Untitled, 1958

John mason  untitled  1958

Kem Weber

Tubular Chrome Sofa

Kem weber  tubular chrome sofa

Louis Kahn

, The Esherick House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1961

Louis kahn  the esherick house in philadelphia  pennsylvania  1961

Man Ray

Cadeau, 1921

Man ray  cadeau  1921

Paul T. Frankl

Desk, 1933

Paul t. frankl  desk  1933

Rosemarie Trockel

Untitled (Amaca, red-white), 2000

Rosemarie trockel  untitled  amaca  red white   2000
References
Warren mcarthur  armchair  model 20   1930

Warren McArthur

Armchair, model 20 , 1930

1 of 20

Andy warhol  little electric chair  1964 1965

Andy Warhol

Little Electric Chair, 1964-1965

2 of 20

Bonnie cashin  cotton  leather and metal ensemble  1978

Bonnie Cashin

Cotton, leather and metal Ensemble, 1978

3 of 20

Frank stella  agadir i  1964

Frank Stella

AGADIR I, 1964

4 of 20

Jean prouv   6x6 demountable house  1944 1945

Jean Prouvé

6X6 Demountable House, 1944-1945

5 of 20

Man ray  venus  1937

Man Ray

Venus, 1937

7 of 20

Ysl rive gauche ss 1998.jpg

Yves Saint Laurent

Rive Gauche Spring/Summer 1998

8 of 20

Andy warhol  five deaths on orange  1963

Andy Warhol

Five Deaths on Orange, 1963

9 of 20

Kem weber armchair 1934

Kem Weber

Armchair 1934

10 of 20

Helmut and june newton  robert mapplethorpe  1970s

Helmut and June Newton

Robert Mapplethorpe, 1970s

13 of 20

John mason  orange cross  1963

John Mason

Orange Cross, 1963

14 of 20

John mason  untitled  1958

John Mason

Untitled, 1958

15 of 20

Kem weber  tubular chrome sofa

Kem Weber

Tubular Chrome Sofa

16 of 20

Louis kahn  the esherick house in philadelphia  pennsylvania  1961

Louis Kahn

, The Esherick House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1961

17 of 20

Man ray  cadeau  1921

Man Ray

Cadeau, 1921

18 of 20

Paul t. frankl  desk  1933

Paul T. Frankl

Desk, 1933

19 of 20

Rosemarie trockel  untitled  amaca  red white   2000

Rosemarie Trockel

Untitled (Amaca, red-white), 2000

20 of 20


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