Between Me and My Calvins...

Today's Observer has a rather harsh review of Lisa Marsh's new book on Calvin Klein, The House of Klein: Fashion, Controversy, and a Business Obsession. It appears that Marsh, a fashion and retail reporter for the Post, tries to focus on the business aspect of Klein's story but misses the essence, i.e., Klein sells sex, not fashion. But here's the thing: The only thing sexy about Calvin Klein are the ad campaigns. The clothes, underwear, and perfume (with the exception of Obsession) are minimalist; since when is minimalism sexy? There's no sex for him to sell; it's all in the image created by the ad campaigns. Sneaky, right? At least he doesn't like about his background, like a certain Ralph Lifshitz.

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