Veronica Leoni's debut embraced '90s minimalism—but is it better than the original?
We’ve all scrolled past glittering images from the '90s on the fashion mood board side of Instagram: Kate Moss in a barely-there slip dress, Lauren Hutton wearing a covetable coat, or Linda Evangelista posing at the end of a runway in sharp tailoring. And many of these iconic photos wouldn't exist without American sportswear designer Calvin Klein.
The Calvin Klein brand archive is as broad as it is deep. Founded in 1968, the label defined ‘90s minimalism in its heyday, as its namesake perfected his signature blend of sensuality and restraint. All slinky knits, sheaths, and chic separates, the clothes were synonymous with the modeling greats who wore them: Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, and Christy Turlington. Notably, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, the queen of understated New York style, worked as a publicist for Calvin Klein before marrying John F. Kennedy Jr. in 1996.
Today, however, the brand is probably most associated with its stacked roster of celebrity ambassadors (and a certain ab-forward billboard featuring Jeremy Allen White). Since designer Raf Simons, who is now at Prada, did a stint at the brand six years ago, the company has been more focused on selling underwear than Fashion with a capital “F.” The luxury end of the business, nicknamed the 205W39NYC line by Simons, was discontinued in 2019, and the company hasn’t shown at Fashion Month since.
That all changed, however, with the appointment of Veronica Leoni as creative director last May. An alumnus of The Row, Céline under Phoebe Philo, and Jil Sander, the designer's luxury bonafides signaled a return to serious clothes at a serious price for Calvin Klein—not just cute lounge sets and boxer briefs. A runway debut seemed inevitable.
On February 7, New York City got exactly that when Leoni’s first collection showed at Calvin Klein's longtime headquarters at 205 West 39th Street in the Garment District. “As a designer, I have always been deeply inspired by Calvin Klein, and the chance to write this next chapter for the brand is a one-of-a-kind opportunity,” said Leoni in a press release. “My goal is to define an ultimate and definitive expression of monumental minimalism and pureness through shape and craft, bringing Mr. Klein’s original vision and distinctive approach into the current day.”
That this new collection from Leoni draws heavily on the brand's archive is readily apparent. A series of sumptuously oversized scarf coats evoked Klein's "posh parka" showing in 1990. Body-skimming jackets and skirt suits harkened back to the easy tailoring of the era. Tomato red, dove gray, and black were punched up with shades of cream (these are all hues Mr. Klein loved), and a floor-length gold dress recalled a mini Cindy Crawford modeled in 1991. The footwear, too, touched on the past—sleek mules styled throughout the show were almost a direct reissue from the line's 1999 collection.
An immaculately attired front row got the minimalism memo as well. Bad Bunny's sexy little sunglasses, relaxed suit (worn with a t-shirt underneath), and baseball cap recalled the off-kilter charm of JFK Jr.'s '90s style. Simone Ashley's sculpted boucle dress nodded to a similarly strapless number modeled by Kate Moss. And Greta Lee looked every bit the '90s It Girl in a reflective sheath number.
Details of this new (or rather, old-new) brand identity underscore Loeni's nostalgic vision. The 2025 Calvin Klein Collection pieces come with a tag stitched with a custom Roman typeface that secondhand shoppers might mistake for a vintage label. Loeni also reimagined the best-selling CK One perfume bottle (launched in 1994) as a cheeky little clutch.
References to what Leoni clearly sees as the brand's peak were everywhere. However, whether this collection is an improvement on the original remains to be seen. You can, after all, buy vintage Calvin Klein on The Real Real or Vestiaire Collective. And while the looks put forth in this debut are both elevated and wearable (who doesn't want a coat like the one modeled by Kendall Jenner in Look 3?), the brand has some competition in lines like The Row, Khaite, and Toteme, who offer similarly restrained luxury at several price points.
The 2025 collection also didn't fully capture the energy of '90s Calvin Klein. Sure, this wasn’t a steamy billboard in Times Square, but it wasn’t quite Kate Moss in a slip dress, either. The assortment was missing some of the sex appeal and nonchalance of its predecessors. There's a certain lack of pretension in 1990s CK that made the original so covetable, and Loeni's designs are self-conscious in their sophistication.
It begs the question: Do people need another stealthily wealthy collection in 2025? And do they want it from Calvin Klein? That remains to be seen. But in terms of vision, it's a fittingly refined debut.