Seamus Hammond
Calvin Klein is known for his iconic and often controversial advertising campaigns. From Brooke Shields to Kate Moss, Kendall Jenner, and FKA Twigs, the brand has featured many famous faces in its ads. One of Calvin Klein's most famous campaigns is for the women's perfume Obsession, which was fronted by Kate Moss in the 1990s. With her lithe frame, Moss ushered in an era of extremely thin models. The campaign was shot by Moss's then-boyfriend, Mario Sorrenti, on a tropical island, and the resulting black-and-white images became some of Calvin Klein's most iconic to date.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1993 |
| Magazine | Hello Magazine |
| Fragrance | Obsession |
| Model | Kate Moss |
| Photographer | Mario Sorrenti |
| Location | Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands |
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What You'll Learn
Kate Moss's 1993 Obsession campaign
Kate Moss became the face of Calvin Klein's Obsession fragrance in 1993. The campaign was photographed by Moss's then-boyfriend, Mario Sorrenti, and featured black-and-white images of Moss that were described as "elementally magnetic". The campaign swept billboards, buses, and magazines, and is credited with changing beauty standards in the fashion industry by ushering in an era of extremely thin models.
The campaign was shot over 10 days in the British Virgin Islands, where Sorrenti and Moss camped out at a beachfront ruin. The images were raw and transfixing, with a voyeuristic quality that felt novel in an era of visual overload. The campaign pivoted on an idea that was radical in its simplicity: instead of fabricating romance for marketing's sake, what if you document it?
Moss recalled in a 2015 interview with Nick Knight that she felt her then-boyfriend Sorrenti was abusing their relationship by making certain demands of her during the shoot. She also said that Sorrenti worked her like a dog and didn't stop taking pictures even when she was sleeping. Despite this, Moss described Sorrenti in a later interview as being "like [her] brother" and said there was still a lot of love between them.
In 2017, Calvin Klein launched a new fragrance, Obsessed, a reinvention of the original Obsession fragrance. The campaign featured never-before-seen video cuts and photos from the 1993 shoot by Sorrenti. The new campaign focused on Sorrenti's experience of the original shoot, rather than Moss's, which some commentators found interesting given Moss's perspective on the shoot.
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The banned FKA Twigs campaign
Calvin Klein is known for its controversial and sexualised ad campaigns. One of its most controversial campaigns to date featured a 15-year-old Brooke Shields. The imagery wasn’t overly raunchy, but when paired with the slogan “You know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing”, it raised eyebrows.
Another of its racy campaigns featured British singer FKA Twigs. The campaign image, which was part of the brand's "Calvins or Nothing" campaign, was banned in the United Kingdom. The UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found that the image "presented her as a stereotypical sexual object". The image depicted a half-naked FKA Twigs, baring all while covering her toned physique with a Calvin Klein garment.
FKA Twigs responded to the ban with a post on Instagram:
> "I do not see the ‘stereotypical sexual object’ that they have labelled me. I see a beautiful strong woman of colour whose incredible body has overcome more pain than you can imagine."
After much uproar from fans, the ASA partially reversed the ban, explaining that after "significant strength of public feeling, including views expressed by FKA twigs" the agency has concluded the image was "not sexually explicit" but did continue to deem the ad as "overtly sexual and was, therefore, not suitable for display in an untargeted medium".
Other famous faces to have bared all for Calvin Klein include Kendall Jenner, Kate Moss, Christy Turlington, Natalia Vodianova, and the Kardashian clan.
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Brooke Shields's Calvin Klein Jeans campaign
While researching Calvin Klein's fragrance ad campaigns, I came across the famous 1980 campaign featuring Brooke Shields. Shields, who was only 15 at the time, delivered the iconic and controversial line, "You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing." This campaign sparked controversy due to its perceived sexual innuendo and the young age of the model. However, it also contributed to the brand's success and put Calvin Klein on the fashion map.
Now, here is the content focused on Brooke Shields's Calvin Klein Jeans campaign:
The Brooke Shields Calvin Klein Jeans campaign, released in 1980, is considered one of the most famous and controversial fashion ad campaigns of all time. The campaign featured the then 15-year-old model and actress in a pair of form-fitting blue jeans and a burgundy overshirt with a single button done up. The imagery itself was not overtly raunchy, but when paired with the suggestive tagline, it raised eyebrows and sparked controversy.
The infamous line delivered by Shields was: "You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing." The double entendre in this slogan led to extreme backlash and criticism from the public and the press. Many interpreted the line as a sexual innuendo, and the commercials were even banned in some places. Shields recalled that she was berated by people who assumed she understood the intention and double meaning behind the words.
However, Shields has stated that she was naive at the time and did not perceive the campaign or the lines as sexual in nature. She explained that she was a virgin then and remained one for a long time afterward. She also mentioned that she was more focused on the opportunity to work with renowned photographer Richard Avedon, who directed the campaign and had a unique vision for it.
Despite the initial controversy, the campaign was a huge success and helped propel Calvin Klein's jeans and underwear to fame. Shields remains proud of her involvement, acknowledging that the backlash ultimately worked in the brand's favour. The campaign set the tone for decades to come, with Calvin Klein pushing the boundaries and understanding how to "push the envelope."
Shields's Calvin Klein Jeans campaign is a notable example of how a controversial ad campaign can significantly impact a brand's success. While it faced intense scrutiny, it also contributed to making Calvin Klein a permanent part of the pop culture zeitgeist.
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Kendall Jenner's #mycalvins campaign
Calvin Klein has a long history of provocative advertising campaigns, with some of the most iconic ads in history. The brand has a reputation for pushing the envelope with its advertising choices, often featuring famous faces. One of the most well-known campaigns is "Calvins or Nothing", which included images of Kendall Jenner and FKA Twigs. The campaign received backlash for being overly sexualised and objectifying women, with the FKA Twigs ad being banned in the UK for breaching advertising standards. However, the ads featuring Kendall Jenner were deemed "inoffensive" by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Kendall Jenner has been the face of Calvin Klein for years and has appeared in multiple campaigns for the brand, including #mycalvins. In one image from this campaign, Jenner is shown squeezing a grapefruit with the tagline "I eat in #mycalvins". Another image from the same campaign shows Jenner lying on her back in underwear, pulling down her jeans, with the tagline "I pulse in #mycalvins". These ads sparked some criticism on social media, with people arguing that they objectify and hypersexualise women.
The #mycalvins campaign also included images of other celebrities, such as Danish actress Klara Kristin, who posed in an up-the-skirt shot with the tagline "I flash in #myCalvins". Another ad featured a woman with her hands in her underwear, with the tagline "I pulse in #mycalvins". These ads were part of a larger series that included male celebrities, such as rapper Fetty Wap, whose tagline was "I make money in #mycalvins".
In addition to the #mycalvins campaign, Kendall Jenner has appeared in other Calvin Klein campaigns, often promoting the brand's intimates range. She has posed in skimpy lingerie sets and open blazers with nothing underneath, showcasing her toned physique. These images have been featured on billboards worldwide and on her Instagram account, further extending the reach of the campaign.
Overall, Kendall Jenner's involvement in Calvin Klein's advertising campaigns has been a successful strategy for the brand, generating significant attention and discussion. While some critics have emerged, arguing that the ads are overly sexualised, others defend them as empowering for women. Despite the differing opinions, Jenner's campaigns for Calvin Klein have undoubtedly left a mark on the fashion industry and solidified the brand's reputation for boundary-pushing advertising.
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Escape ad's homage to From Here to Eternity
The Calvin Klein Escape ad campaign from 1991 is said to be an homage to the iconic beach scene from the 1953 film From Here to Eternity, directed by Fred Zinnemann and based on James Jones' novel of the same name. The film is remembered for its dreamy and iconic beach scene, portraying a love affair between the characters played by Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster. The black-and-white imagery, waves crashing on a rocky coast, full-body embrace, and diagonal orientation of the paired bodies on the sand are all elements that seem to be referenced in the Escape ad.
The Escape ad campaign featured a minimalist-erotic style, characteristic of Calvin Klein. While the models in the ad switched positions and wore white suits instead of black, the influence of the film scene appeared evident. The Escape ad's homage was sincere, while many other pop culture references to the beach scene from From Here to Eternity have been humorous. For example, in 1954, the TV variety show "Your Show of Shows" parodied the film with a sketch titled "From Here to Obscurity," playing up the comedic aspects of the illicit romance.
Calvin Klein has a history of controversial and "sexualised" ad campaigns, including those featuring Brooke Shields, FKA Twigs, Kate Moss, and Christy Turlington. The brand has pushed the boundaries of what is deemed acceptable in advertising, with some campaigns being banned for presenting women as "stereotypical sexual objects." Despite the criticism, Calvin Klein's campaigns have often been deemed marketing successes, increasing sales and putting the brand on the fashion map.
The Escape ad campaign, with its apparent reference to the iconic beach scene from From Here to Eternity, showcases Calvin Klein's ability to draw inspiration from pop culture moments and incorporate them into their advertising. By evoking the imagery and sentiment of the film, the Escape ad created a unique and memorable association with the perfume, blending scent and visual allure.
While the Escape ad may not have been one of Calvin Klein's more controversial campaigns, it demonstrates the brand's skill in creating subtle allusions that capture the essence of a cultural icon while promoting their product. The homage to From Here to Eternity is a testament to the brand's understanding of the power of visual storytelling and its ability to create a lasting impression.
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Frequently asked questions
The ad for Calvin Klein's Obsession perfume was featured in every glossy magazine when it was released in 1991.
Kate Moss was the face of the Obsession campaign.
The ad campaign was shot by Mario Sorrenti, Moss's then-boyfriend. The pair travelled to Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands for 10 days, returning with hundreds of black-and-white images.
The campaign was one of the brand's most successful, with sales of $7,000 on the day of its launch. It also helped launch Kate Moss's career as a supermodel.
