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.
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.
![Ck ss 2018 muse board](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/4qY9MozvzGckcyW8GCsQIU/683f14ee26a8979d142c229d742e29cc/CK_SS_2018_Muse_Board.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
References
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Warren McArthur
Armchair, model 20 , 1930
![Warren mcarthur armchair model 20 1930](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/1syVEjlGlGygWCaeaUyGYC/cb81886b6e1ea254c4fe9a588729a639/Warren_McArthur__Armchair__model_20___1930.jpg)
Andy Warhol
Little Electric Chair, 1964-1965
![Andy warhol little electric chair 1964 1965](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/64CQ2vOXIIe4IIw0Iy0Ssu/1e4d43dc264b640e964ce49e2a765249/Andy_Warhol__Little_Electric_Chair__1964-1965.jpg)
Bonnie Cashin
Cotton, leather and metal Ensemble, 1978
![Bonnie cashin cotton leather and metal ensemble 1978](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/7CVSYhFRXU6e60ASa48GWU/1ce321237ab4150525815ba84a625d03/Bonnie_Cashin__Cotton__leather_and_metal_Ensemble__1978.jpg)
Frank Stella
AGADIR I, 1964
![Frank stella agadir i 1964](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/5LbZ1eXqpiimU6ceeKSWK6/de73bf3fa268531d63029d7aa5e658bb/Frank_Stella__AGADIR_I__1964.jpg)
Jean Prouvé
6X6 Demountable House, 1944-1945
![Jean prouv 6x6 demountable house 1944 1945](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/572eZtwEDKuCUoymgu2mWM/a0a68a6370646d75519ce902a11e4154/Jean_Prouv___6X6_DEMOUNTABLE_HOUSE__1944-1945.jpg)
Man Ray
Venus, 1937
![Man ray venus 1937](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/moT3cl87NQqgGec0u2Qok/7a5b40e42d576c884a31224268337557/Man_Ray__Venus__1937.jpeg)
Yves Saint Laurent
Rive Gauche Spring/Summer 1998
![Ysl rive gauche ss 1998.jpg](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/1vwiJosYtSqAUqUiCIG2CC/af3deac4848283b27c36b8a188c9b73b/YSL_Rive_Gauche_SS_1998.jpg.png)
Andy Warhol
Five Deaths on Orange, 1963
![Andy warhol five deaths on orange 1963](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/2tdHmwBNnOY4uOaG0aCsWC/6bd9798d6cb3b4fff61c0e537e58affd/Andy_Warhol__Five_Deaths_on_Orange__1963.jpg)
Kem Weber
Armchair 1934
![Kem weber armchair 1934](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/7kXLQMG6ukeYQAaqcUayUG/d31458d46a2b2f8b8d53957138c47dc1/Kem_Weber_Armchair_1934.jpg)
Helmut and June Newton
Robert Mapplethorpe, 1970s
![Helmut and june newton robert mapplethorpe 1970s](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/14dBTD9nhQG2Qg8IUemwWA/d228f572b3b5b0e1b4b4d6d69daeed20/Helmut_and_June_Newton__Robert_Mapplethorpe__1970s.jpg)
John Mason
Orange Cross, 1963
![John mason orange cross 1963](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/3QlfpDpo8UAiyqQkmIEO8g/817dcc50f6e4adba2e9a9dcedd1f7612/John_Mason__Orange_Cross__1963.jpg)
John Mason
Untitled, 1958
![John mason untitled 1958](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/21Go4qPEQImM6OSsgEqOwi/987a35ffb25f2abf04b1871e6a1e9b59/John_Mason__Untitled__1958.jpg)
Kem Weber
Tubular Chrome Sofa
![Kem weber tubular chrome sofa](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/6hjgjicXZuGOwyA02quikW/886eebea3c186b72b5d3a94c7c198c83/Kem_Weber__Tubular_Chrome_Sofa.jpg)
Louis Kahn
, The Esherick House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1961
![Louis kahn the esherick house in philadelphia pennsylvania 1961](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/5L7b0LJJ4soSUykEo8KmUa/1c6c6a374dd2e6cf2bef32008fc434d7/Louis_Kahn__The_Esherick_House_in_Philadelphia__Pennsylvania__1961.jpg)
Man Ray
Cadeau, 1921
![Man ray cadeau 1921](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/4MrRu47XDWUyoACOc4Q4oe/194350bf2e3b1bce8eaf5434c4a59696/Man_Ray__Cadeau__1921.jpg)
Paul T. Frankl
Desk, 1933
![Paul t. frankl desk 1933](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/1MCjCsODFWCMOoAsKswkKU/a2b8bd0c4edaab131aac6b933f41ebe7/Paul_T._Frankl__Desk__1933.jpg)
Rosemarie Trockel
Untitled (Amaca, red-white), 2000
![Rosemarie trockel untitled amaca red white 2000](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/IFWzznHQYMccIOOQKKUmU/a72bd6211eae6e531532a3f8bd5e9a75/Rosemarie_Trockel__Untitled__Amaca__red-white___2000.jpg)
References
![Warren mcarthur armchair model 20 1930](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/1syVEjlGlGygWCaeaUyGYC/cb81886b6e1ea254c4fe9a588729a639/Warren_McArthur__Armchair__model_20___1930.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Warren McArthur
Armchair, model 20 , 1930
1 of 20
![Andy warhol little electric chair 1964 1965](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/64CQ2vOXIIe4IIw0Iy0Ssu/1e4d43dc264b640e964ce49e2a765249/Andy_Warhol__Little_Electric_Chair__1964-1965.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Andy Warhol
Little Electric Chair, 1964-1965
2 of 20
![Bonnie cashin cotton leather and metal ensemble 1978](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/7CVSYhFRXU6e60ASa48GWU/1ce321237ab4150525815ba84a625d03/Bonnie_Cashin__Cotton__leather_and_metal_Ensemble__1978.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Bonnie Cashin
Cotton, leather and metal Ensemble, 1978
3 of 20
![Frank stella agadir i 1964](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/5LbZ1eXqpiimU6ceeKSWK6/de73bf3fa268531d63029d7aa5e658bb/Frank_Stella__AGADIR_I__1964.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Frank Stella
AGADIR I, 1964
4 of 20
![Jean prouv 6x6 demountable house 1944 1945](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/572eZtwEDKuCUoymgu2mWM/a0a68a6370646d75519ce902a11e4154/Jean_Prouv___6X6_DEMOUNTABLE_HOUSE__1944-1945.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Jean Prouvé
6X6 Demountable House, 1944-1945
5 of 20
![Man ray venus 1937](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/moT3cl87NQqgGec0u2Qok/7a5b40e42d576c884a31224268337557/Man_Ray__Venus__1937.jpeg?w=1000&q=70)
Man Ray
Venus, 1937
7 of 20
![Ysl rive gauche ss 1998.jpg](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/1vwiJosYtSqAUqUiCIG2CC/af3deac4848283b27c36b8a188c9b73b/YSL_Rive_Gauche_SS_1998.jpg.png?w=1000&q=70)
Yves Saint Laurent
Rive Gauche Spring/Summer 1998
8 of 20
![Andy warhol five deaths on orange 1963](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/2tdHmwBNnOY4uOaG0aCsWC/6bd9798d6cb3b4fff61c0e537e58affd/Andy_Warhol__Five_Deaths_on_Orange__1963.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Andy Warhol
Five Deaths on Orange, 1963
9 of 20
![Kem weber armchair 1934](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/7kXLQMG6ukeYQAaqcUayUG/d31458d46a2b2f8b8d53957138c47dc1/Kem_Weber_Armchair_1934.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Kem Weber
Armchair 1934
10 of 20
![Helmut and june newton robert mapplethorpe 1970s](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/14dBTD9nhQG2Qg8IUemwWA/d228f572b3b5b0e1b4b4d6d69daeed20/Helmut_and_June_Newton__Robert_Mapplethorpe__1970s.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Helmut and June Newton
Robert Mapplethorpe, 1970s
13 of 20
![John mason orange cross 1963](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/3QlfpDpo8UAiyqQkmIEO8g/817dcc50f6e4adba2e9a9dcedd1f7612/John_Mason__Orange_Cross__1963.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
John Mason
Orange Cross, 1963
14 of 20
![John mason untitled 1958](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/21Go4qPEQImM6OSsgEqOwi/987a35ffb25f2abf04b1871e6a1e9b59/John_Mason__Untitled__1958.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
John Mason
Untitled, 1958
15 of 20
![Kem weber tubular chrome sofa](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/6hjgjicXZuGOwyA02quikW/886eebea3c186b72b5d3a94c7c198c83/Kem_Weber__Tubular_Chrome_Sofa.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Kem Weber
Tubular Chrome Sofa
16 of 20
![Louis kahn the esherick house in philadelphia pennsylvania 1961](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/5L7b0LJJ4soSUykEo8KmUa/1c6c6a374dd2e6cf2bef32008fc434d7/Louis_Kahn__The_Esherick_House_in_Philadelphia__Pennsylvania__1961.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Louis Kahn
, The Esherick House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1961
17 of 20
![Man ray cadeau 1921](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/4MrRu47XDWUyoACOc4Q4oe/194350bf2e3b1bce8eaf5434c4a59696/Man_Ray__Cadeau__1921.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Man Ray
Cadeau, 1921
18 of 20
![Paul t. frankl desk 1933](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/1MCjCsODFWCMOoAsKswkKU/a2b8bd0c4edaab131aac6b933f41ebe7/Paul_T._Frankl__Desk__1933.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Paul T. Frankl
Desk, 1933
19 of 20
![Rosemarie trockel untitled amaca red white 2000](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/IFWzznHQYMccIOOQKKUmU/a72bd6211eae6e531532a3f8bd5e9a75/Rosemarie_Trockel__Untitled__Amaca__red-white___2000.jpg?w=1000&q=70)