Calvin Klein 205W39NYC Fall/Winter 2018 Ready-to-Wear Review
America doesn't have the whimsical stories and fairytales that explain its history like other countries. What America has instead is its entrepreneurship. Filmmakers, musicians, and inventors have always graced the American history books. When dealt with something like Calvin Klein, the quintessential American brand, European Raf Simons can only draw on so much on America's past for inspiration. That being said, what America does stand for, and what mystical story it does tell revolves around the movie sets of Hollywood, the ramshackle barns of the Wild West, the aliens of Area 51, and the art of Andy Warhol. These things, among others, are the icons of the United States of America and what Simons wants to identify with.
The New York Stock Exchange was overturned and covered with a blanket of edible popcorn by 8:20pm EST on February 13, 2018 when the show began. A surreal barn and stools, covered in Warhol prints and Sterling Ruby sculptures, floated throughout and set a scene for the conceptual. Who came out of the barn and onto the crunching catwalk were wacky caricatures ready to transport the viewer to another world, much like the magical cinemas so many of us enjoy. First up were heroic firefighters, with thick orange protective garments and reflective bands, clutching popcorn bags that dribbled onto the already covered floor as the models strutted. Then came prairie girls with their breasts nearly exposed, covered in oversized blazers to keep their modesty and warmth as their full skirts dragged along the popcorn ground.
As the collection wore on, and more and more balaclavas covered heads and Mylar survival coats covered chests, the more the imagined prairie became an imagined wasteland. Perhaps these caricatures were an eclectic group of post-apocalyptic movie-goers braving a nuclear winter for the sake of holding on to their American traditions? Perhaps those fantastic retro sunglasses and metallic handbags weren't just fabulous accessories but actually goggles and first-aid-kits? Though not as dark in theme as Simons' previous collection for Calvin Klein, this one certainly has the same ongoing pessimistic ideas about the future of America as we know it.
Its a bit like "Life On Mars?" by David Bowie, isn't it? Bowie's fascination with America as a European outsider looking in runs parallel to Simons'. The same themes of disparaging capitalism, interplanetary alien-ness, and interest in creating a barrage of characters all dancing around a much more sinister America than what is portrayed in Warner Bros. cartoons and classic movies all correspond as well. Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner were literally woven into this collection, a little abstracted and frayed around the knit of a sweater, but there. But if you view this collection to just the facts and substance, rather than what the designer is trying to say, you'll find that Simons is building a brand for the twenty-first century. Calvin Klein as a business has won back attention many times over since Simons was brought in to create, there's no denying that fact. For what its worth, being able to blend Simons' love for art and the conceptual with a strong brand image can only mean success for a massive company like Calvin Klein.
Photos Courtesy of VogueRunway.com