Calvin Klein is bringing back its runway collection, tapping The Row’s former design director and Quira founder Veronica Leoni as creative director — the latest in a series of moves intended to revitalise the American brand.
Leoni’s first collection for Calvin Klein—which hasn’t had a creative director or staged a runway show since Raf Simons departed in 2018— will land for Fall 2025.
In a statement, owner PVH said reviving Calvin Klein’s premium “Collection” line under Leoni “marks one of the most important [in its] series of strategic steps” to revive heat around the brand.
A broader marketing push, including a thirsty ad campaign featuring actor Jeremy Allen White in nothing but a pair of Calvin’s that went viral earlier this year, is already generating buzz.
But the company has long struggled to sustain momentum beyond its bread-and-butter underwear line.
While revenues inched up during a lengthy push to refocus on direct-to-consumer channels, the brand has had to navigate the decline of many US department stores and outlet malls (for which it used to produce a constellation of sub-brands across categories and price points) as well as challenges in the premium denim segment worldwide.
Calvin Klein’s revenues grew 3 percent to $3.9 billion in fiscal year 2023.
Leoni will bring experience from stints at Jil Sander, Celine, Moncler and The Row, as well as her own brand Quira, for which she was named a finalist in LVMH’s prize for emerging designers last year.
Calvin Klein shuttered its runway “Collection” in 2018, which had been renamed “205W39NYC” during Simons’ tenure, as well as its “By Appointment” red carpet line.
New creative director Leoni brings experience from stints at Jil Sander, Celine, Moncler and The Row, as well as her own brand Quira, for which she was named a finalist in LVMH’s prize for emerging designers last year.
Quira drew attention for its creative twists on sartorial staples like luxe shirting and suiting, as well as its cross-category approach to brand building. From its early collections, the four-year-old line incorporated Italian-made boots and leather satchels to complement its skirt suits, ruffled blouses and knit dresses.
At Calvin Klein, Leoni “will merge her deep industry expertise with the modern aesthetic of Calvin Klein to design the ultimate representation of the brand,” PVH said. The designer will also work together with Eva Serrano, Calvin Klein’s global brand president, “to bring inspiration from collection to the mainline portfolio and the red carpet.”
