Calvin Klein / "Calvin Klein"

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Celvin Klein

It has opened to the world minimalism. In clothes. Thus popularity at general public has received completely not style decisions, and advertising strategy of the stamp. In it it uses epatirujushchie images, balancing on the verge of the permitted.

Kelvin KLEIN was born it in 1942 on November, 19th, in not the most aristocratic area of New York Bronx. Since the early childhood he was able to draw and sew various clothes. He asserts, that has decided to become the fashion designer at the age of 5 years. A considerable role in formation of its feeling of taste his mother who always took with itself the son in regular campaigns to tailors has played. However, the greatest influence on Klein's future career was rendered by its grandmother who has learnt it to sew on the sewing machine. Klein has created the first models of clothes still before has gone to school. He spent all free time with a needle in hands, a pencil and a sheet of paper. Time went, and Calvin's desire to become the fashion designer only became stronger.

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Having ended a comprehensive school, it has entered the New York school of arts and design where, the truth, has not entered into number of the most successful pupils. This circumstance at all has not confused Klein. During study in the Art and Design Higher school and then in the Fashion Institute of technology all its efforts have been directed on becoming the fashion designer and to create own business. In the afternoon it passed to practice in studio, all the day long raskraivaja suits, and in the evenings created an own portfolio. It was one of the most difficult periods in his life: money catastrophically did not suffice, and that the purse though sometimes has been filled by something, Klein had to work as the sidewalk artist. Having left in 1962 of a wall then still little-known New York institute the diplomaed expert, it assisted two years very known and successful New York designer Dan Millshtajnu (Dan Millstein). After 1964 Klein worked on the various companies which are letting out a coat. Obviously, it also has confirmed initial specialisation of its own enterprise which ambitious Kelvin opens in 1968.

«It just that is pleasant to me in the United States, - years Klein secret in the book of British journalist Kolridzha„ fashion Plot “later shared. - here all have a chance if you have necessary abilities and readiness it is heavy to work». It is necessary to give to Klein due - both that, and another was at it much. But there were at it also others two necessary, but for some reason not mentioned maestros of quality - ability to anticipate requirement of public and, of course, good luck.

Good luck has helped Klein to untwist the very first collection made on money, occupied from the friend (and nowadays the partner) Berry Schwarz. Kelvin exposed the collection on one of hotel floors. The collection has literally subdued casually got (the visitor has simply pressed not that button of the lift of hotel "York") in studio of the designer of the vice-president of the trading house «Bonvit-Teller», luxurious shop on the Fifth Avenue which show-windows El Salvador made out Distances. Klein receives the order for the sum in 50 thousand dollars. Then Klein and Schwarz have opened the company which seed capital has made all $10 thousand

Thanks to support of glossy magazines and bajerov Klein could present own line of female sportswear already to the beginning 70. The line has extended and added female pret-and-port. minimalistichnyj the design and neutral shades of models have made the present revolution in the fashion world. Fashionable observers showered Klein with laurels for extraordinary fresh, pure lines of a cut and soft laconic design of sports elements. Scale of the muffled shades in the truncated jackets, slaksah and sweaters, krepdeshinovye shirts, striped silk in a combination to a velvet for day - all it has called delight public. Thanks to a non-standard combination of expensive, luxury fabrics and pure lines covering Klein has become history of a fashion as the king of minimalism. Further the talent of designer Klein and Schwarz's enterprise became a stamp fixed capital, pledge of tremendous success of the creativity multiplied by commercial calculation.

Kelvin did not pass any party in the well-known New York night club 70 «Studio 54» where nights in the company Andy Warhol, Bianki Jagger and others otvjaznyh bohemian characters without a break roamed. He in a black way drank, endlessly experimented drugs, its private life excessively was chaotic … Subsequently Klein has named these years the life "simply mad". Thus he managed also to work, and not easier to work, and with extreme commercial success.

In the beginning 80 the advertising campaign of jeans «from Klein» started. Before jeans were considered as clothes, not noteworthy fashion designers, - Klein was the first who has tried to offer public "design" jeans. Advertising them, Kelvin has counted on sexuality of jeans clothes. Girl-teenager Brook Shilds became a symbol seksapila «from Kelvina Klein». She is invocatory smiled from advertising photos: «You know, what between me and my jeans anything is not present?.»

Since then advertising campaigns Calvin Klein invariably make furore, presenting each time new provocation, but managing to balance on the verge of permitted from the point of view of morals and the law. Each new stage of development of the stamp was accompanied by loud scandal. So, in 1982 on the market the new line - Calvin Klein Underwear was deduced. The designer has presented for the first time man's linen not simply as necessary functional clothes, but also as improbably sexual accessory. The photo of the seminude young handsome man who has been filled in with the sun, decorated a billboard in the centre Time Square. America has not excused it. Demonstration of man's sexuality in such kind has called squall of charges in homosexuality propagation to the designer. Said about a sexual disorientation and the designer.

Mad years have come to an end, after course of treatment in specialised clinic he has said goodbye to drugs, besides married assistant Kell Rektor. However, gossips still for a long time repeated, that Klein actually the gay and married to observe the proprieties only … But, can, they simply envied family happiness: Kelvin and Kells lived in perfect harmony, have moved to the new house in Ist-Hemptone on seacoast where Kelvin has definitively indulged in a healthy way of life: evening walks on a beach, jogs in the mornings, swimming …

The perfumery world was the following "bastion" taken by Klein. Perhaps, the advertising anticipating a conclusion to the market of first perfume Obsession (1985) became the greatest scandal. The photo bared thin Kejt Moss has called a wave of the protest against an image as which they have considered not only "pedofilskim", but also "anoreksichnym". Over boards wrote a paint: «Feed me!». Since then well-known perfumery lines Obsession, Eternity, Escape, Contradiction have strongly taken a place on regiments of shops. And aroma cK one (1994) became the first in history of perfumery aroma "unisex" and till now is the leader of sales of all perfumery line Calvin Klein.

1992 has been marked by new scandal. On posters seminude then still to nobody known 18-year-old Kejt Moss sat in obnimku with the rapper of the Stamp Mark: the young, thin bodies, similar hairdresses, persons … Charges fell down one behind another: to Klein use of work of minors was made, creation of the shootings close to pornographic, and discrimination of buyers, whose sizes mismatched presented in advertising. An offered dimensional number of jeans of Klein obviously specified that they are calculated on teenagers.

Start of the next advertising campaign for a jeans line with use of a known bible plot of the Last Supper has called indignation not only simple inhabitants. 13 seminude models advertising jeans, represented apostles and the Christ that should shock clerics. Klein had to pay the penalty and … to give an interview considerable quantity. In August, 1995 of FBI has begun investigation on business about propagation of pedophilia and sexual operation of minors in advertising of the designer. Shooting with participation of 15-year-old teenagers of one of the most expensive photographers of the world of Stephen Mejzela (Steven Meisel) has really been made in style soft porno 60, up to a choice of the background typical for pornofilms of those years. In the same August 1995 "teenage" advertising posters and Klein's rollers even have been forbidden to the further demonstration - and in the meantime the youth clothes from Klein were bought up on hurrah, and style a unisex walked on a planet …

Kelvin Klein, however, at all does not count itself in theorists of a unisex - it simply successful businessman, able to foresee moods and desires of public. Speak, Kelvina Klein's favourite hobby - refined restaurants, especially a Japanese cuisine: he considers, that good kitchen - the main thing because of what it is necessary to be rich and well-known. In due course empire Calvin Klein has extended influence on lifestyle: have appeared Calvin Klein Collection for men and women and a line for the house; cK Calvin Klein for men and women; ck Calvin Klein Jeans for adults and children. But, obviously, not only scandalous advertising has erected Klein to a pedestal. Klein became owner Coty Award - in 1973, 1974 and 1975, simultaneously becoming the youngest fashion designer from all ever its receiving three times. In 1982, 1983 and 1986 Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded it for outstanding design female and men's wear. And again Klein - the first fashion designer who has received the award for both lines in one year.

Klein's name is entered in the list 25 most influential people of America, made by magazine Time. It even name «Calvin the Conqueror» - the Kelvin-conqueror.

From the beginning 90 Kelvin Klein has strengthened the position in the market, having created Calvin Klein Europe, Calvin Klein Asia and Calvin Klein Japan. In 1999 the company has been exposed on sale. As potential buyers concerns LVMH and Gucci were called. Nevertheless in June, 2000 Klein and Schwarz have crawfished, initially having requested too high price - about $900 million Failure of the transaction with Warnaco Group because of the reticence about use of trade mark Calvin Klein has poured out in enormous PR - stamp campaign.

Sales in boutiques all over the world have flied up. By 2002 Calvin Klein, Inc. Supervised half of design market of jeans. In the same 2002, after three years of attempts, Klein managed to sell the company. Now it will belong to corporation Phillips-Van Heusen. Transaction cost makes $30 million about $400 million From them there is a share holding of the company and $200-300 million - a royalty for the right of use of the trade mark. Klein will take part in the decision of the key strategic questions connected with possibility of growth, the general design policy, positioning of a brand and marketing strategy of the stamp.