Is Calvin Klein Fast Fashion? An Expert Breakdown!
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We’ve talked of various fashion brands here, from Lucy in The Sky and Emmiol to Quince and it has been an enlightening journey not only for the readers but for us as well. Discovering new fashion brands that match our tastes as well as our eco-conscious mindset. Today, as the title suggests, we’ll delve into a brand no one needs any explanation for. Calvin Klein!
Calvin Klein is one of the most renowned fashion brands in the world and anyone who hasn’t heard of it surely lives under a rock because how can you miss the giant billboards and the steamy advertisements on YouTube and the television? In terms of being known, it sits alongside the likes of Gucci and Louis Vuitton, invoking images of grandeur and premium-quality garments. Unlike other brands that develop their clothing line according to the latest trends, Calvin Klein sets the trends.
Let’s dive into the history of the brand! In the 1960’s, a man named Calvin Klein who had graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, started the brand named after himself with a friend. Initially, he focused on the production of suits and coats for women, collaborating with a local store that displayed the designs. He received a good response from customers which led him to experimenting with sportswear and menswear as well.
His fashion philosophy was to make clothes that are stylish yet comfortable. He was not fond of extreme and overt designs, rather preferring to remain classic and elegant. His clothes are defined as being minimalistic and modern. Going through some of its collection, you notice a certain pattern that makes Calvin Klein who it is. The use of neutral colors, clean lines, and comfortable to-wear clothing is evident in all of their garments.
Even though Calvin Klein is high fashion, it is not a luxury brand like Gucci which makes it slightly cheaper than these brands but still expensive as compared to other brands. It constantly takes risks and introduces new designs that become a trend and are followed by many brands.
Sustainability Rating: 8/10
Category: Clothing, Accessories, Shoes
For: Women, Men, Kids
Products: Tops, Coats, Skirts, Lingerie, Shoes, Perfumes
Style: Minimalistic, Elegant, Modern, Simplistic
Quality: High
Prices: $15.00 - $500.00 (US Dollars)
Size: XXS - 6XL (International Size)
Fabrics: Polyester, Cotton, Cotton Blend, Nylon, Rayon, Viscose, Wool, Leather, Fur
100% Organic: No
100% Vegan: No
Ethical and Fair: No
Recycling: No
Manufacturing Countries: India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Turkey
Certifications: Not Transparent Enough
Calvin Klein has set many trends and standards in the fashion industry following its innovative and minimalistic aesthetics and the focus on challenging existing fashion trends. It brought a revival within the industry which helped solidify its status as one of the highest-earning and known brands in the world.
Despite its significant impact on the fashion industry, Calvin Klein became mainstream when it crossed the line of provocative in its ad campaigns. Back then, advertisements were still quite conservative as compared to the present, and Calvin Klein was the pioneer of creating sensual and sexy advertisements, some of which were even banned in the U.S. This skyrocketed its popularity as no one had seen anything like this before. In a way, Calvin Klein began the trend of making risqué ad campaigns. Famous personalities like Kendall Jenner, Jung Kook of BTS, and Alexa Demie have modeled for the brand, giving weightage and popularity to the brand as fans stock towards its store.
In terms of fast fashion, we can confidently state that Calvin Klein is not a fast fashion brand. It produces high-quality clothing that can last over a long time using exquisite fabrics and silks. Moreover, it has one of the most experienced teams of designers in the world who are heedless of the current trends in the market. Instead, it comes up with new designs that can represent the brand and set a new trend in the market. It only releases new collections a few times during a year instead of pushing out new designs every week like a normal fast fashion brand.
Moreover, the company is very dedicated to educating its employees in anything they are passionate about. It has collaborated with PVH University which allows for the employees to get better at their skills but also pursue other interests. This allows personal growth within the company as the employees are the main power source behind everything.
Calvin Klein, although not entirely sustainable, is taking admirable steps towards becoming an eco-friendly brand. It consciously seeks out recycled materials and organic fibers that are safe for the environment. It is slowly but surely moving towards the usage of 100% cotton, wool, and viscose by 2025 and hopefully, by 2030, it will use 100% polyester. All companies make such claims but Calvin Klein has proved that it also acts on its promises by being transparent. It received a score of 51-60% from the Fashion Transparency Index, another proof that it is looking to improve itself by adopting sustainable practices.
Furthermore, it has taken significant steps towards its packaging style. It hopes to stop the use of plastic packaging completely by 2030 and has already exchanged the packaging for its underwear with paper packaging made of almost 50% recycled materials. Also, it has a sub-brand titled Calvin Klein jeans which produces denim jeans from recycled materials and employs methods that waste the least amount of water. It is one of its most successful sub-brands.
Even though it also advocates for animal rights and claims to use cruelty-free methods to obtain leather and fur, the GoodOnYou directory says that there are better alternatives out there that a huge company like Calvin Klein can easily use. In 2020, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute exposed over 100 brands for getting their garments manufactured through forced Uyghur labor and Calvin Klein was one of them. We can hope that things have changed since then because Barron ranked the company #5 in overall sustainability.
Finally, we can say that Calvin Klein is doing much better than more than half of the fashion industry when it comes to sustainability. Although there are some blank spaces and areas where it can do better, it is on the way to transforming for the better. We are looking forward to seeing Calvin Klein become 100% sustainable, but till then, we render it safe for eco-conscious people to shop there.
Sources:
Fashion industry | Design, Fashion Shows, Marketing, & Facts | Britannica
Calvin Klein - Fashion, Career & Life (biography.com)
Exploring Calvin Klein's Commitment to Sustainability - The One Liner