Calvin Klein is an American fashion designer who rose to prominence in the late 1960s. After studying fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, he launched his own clothing company, Calvin Klein Inc., with his friend Barry K. Schwartz in 1968. Klein achieved recognition for his minimalist designs in suits and coats. In the 1970s, he gained fame with his advertising campaigns. By the 1980s, Calvin Klein Inc. had expanded into a lifestyle brand, offering underwear, fragrances and home furnishings. In 2002, Klein sold his company to Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation. Calvin Klein has been honored with several awards for his contributions to fashion, including the prestigious CFDA Award for Lifetime Achievement. Here, take a look back at Calvin Klein’s photos through the years.
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Calvin Klein, 1966
Image Credit: WWD Calvin Klein, the then 25-year-old fashion designer at Hallie Jrs on Nov. 17, 1966, in New York.
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Calvin Klein, 1968
Image Credit: WWD Calvin Klein cuts a pattern around a model wearing a pink wool knit coat from the Halldon collection in 1968.
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Calvin Klein, 1977
Image Credit: WWD Calvin Klein attends the Fashion Critics Awards ceremony for the Parsons School of Design at the Waldorf Astoria on April 20, 1977, in New York.
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Calvin Klein, 1977
Image Credit: Getty Images Bianca Jagger and Calvin Klein photographed at Studio 54 in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 1978
Image Credit: DNR Portrait of American fashion designer Calvin Klein.
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Calvin Klein, 1979
Image Credit: DUSTIN PITTMAN/WWD ARCHIVE Calvin Klein in gray suit with his arms crossed on a balcony
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Calvin Klein, 1982
Image Credit: Getty Images Kelly Klein and Calvin Klein attend the MET gala in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 1983
Image Credit: Thomas Iannaccone Calvin Klein posing backstage at his Resort ready-to-wear collection in 1983
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Calvin Klein, 1984
Image Credit: WWD Calvin Klein through the years.
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Calvin Klein, 1985
Image Credit: WWD Calvin Klein at the Palladium on May 15, 1985, in New York.
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Calvin Klein, 1986
Image Credit: Corbis/VCG via Getty Images Elizabeth Taylor and Calvin Klein at an AIDS benefit in 1986.
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Calvin Klein, 1987
Image Credit: Getty Images (Photo by Images/Getty Images)
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Calvin Klein, 1987
Image Credit: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Iman and Calvin Klein.
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Calvin Klein, 1990
Image Credit: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Calvin Klein, Kelly Klein and Fran Lebowitz at The Martha GrahamDance Company’s 64th Season Opening Night Featuring Martha Graham’s 180th Dance Work Maple Leaf Rag – Post Cocktail/Dinner Party on Oct. 2, 1990, at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 1991
Image Credit: David Turner/ WWD Photos of Calvin Klein through the years.
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Calvin Klein, 1992
Image Credit: WWD Calvin Klein walks in the Calvin Klein Jeans inaugural runway show in 1992.
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Calvin Klein, 1992
Image Credit: Eric Weiss Calvin Klein at a book party hosted by Anna Wintour and Klein to celebrate the publication of Kelly Klein’s new book, “Pools,” featuring some of the world’s most exquisite swimming pools, in the pool room of Manhattan’s 1 East River Place on Oct. 1, 1992, in New York.
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Calvin Klein, 1993
Image Credit: WWD Calvin Klein posing backstage at his spring 1994 collection.
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Calvin Klein, 1994
Image Credit: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Calvin Klein and Dolly Parton.
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Calvin Klein, 1994
Image Credit: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Anna Wintour and Calvin Klein during New York Fashion Week.
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Calvin Klein, 1994
Image Credit: WWD Calvin Klein attends the CFDA party in New York.
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Calvin Klein, 2007
Image Credit: Getty Images Calvin Klein attends a screening of “Revolver” hosted by the Cinema Society and Piaget at the Tribeca Grand Screening Room on Dec. 2, 2007, in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 2008
Image Credit: Steve Eichner Calvin Klein attends the Last Song of Summer concert at the Watermill Center in Watermill New York.
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Calvin Klein, 2008
Image Credit: Steve Eichner Calvin Klein attends a screening of Isabel Coixet’s Elegy at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 2008
Image Credit: WireImage Calvin Klein (R) and Kelly Klein at the 24th Annual Infinity Awards in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 2009
Image Credit: WireImage Calvin Klein (L) and Sylvester Stallone are sighted at Art Basel on Dec. 2, 2009, in Miami.
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Calvin Klein, 2010
Image Credit: Steve Eichner Calvin Klein attends a benefit for Haiti sponsored by Hope Help & Relief.
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Calvin Klein, 2010
Image Credit: FilmMagic Calvin Klein and Nick Gruber attend the Cinema Society and Men’s Health screening of “The Fighter” To Benefit The Cinema School at SVA Theater on Dec. 10, 2010, in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 2010
Image Credit: Getty Images Carolina Herrera and Calvin Klein at the Hope Help & Relief Haiti “A Night of Humanity” event.
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Calvin Klein, 2010
Image Credit: Getty Images Calvin Klein and Carolina Herrera attend the Costume Institute Gala Benefit to celebrate the opening of the “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity” exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 3, 2010, in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 2011
Image Credit: Getty Images Calvin Klein and Nick Gruber at the Christian Louboutin Cocktail party at Barneys New York on Nov. 1, 2011, in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 2012
Image Credit: Scott Rudd Calvin Klein attends Kelly Klein’s “Pools: Reflections” book launch party at Barneys New York.
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Calvin Klein, 2012
Image Credit: Sandy Ramirez Calvin Klein attends Pratt Institute’s 2012 Industry Lifetime Achievement awards at Center 548.
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Calvin Klein, 2013
Image Credit: Steve Eichner Calvin Klein at Acria Cocktails at Sunset 2013.
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Calvin Klein, 2013
Image Credit: WireImage Calvin Klein attends ‘Blackfish’ New York Premiere at MoMA on June 20, 2013, in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 2013
Image Credit: WireImage Calvin Klein attends the VIP reception and viewing for The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk at the Brooklyn Museum on Oct. 23, 2013, in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 2013
Image Credit: Steve Eichner Calvin Klein at Gordon Parks Foundation Gala 2013.
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Calvin Klein, 2014
Image Credit: FilmMagic Calvin Klein (L) and Donna Karan attend the Universal Pictures and Cross Creek Pictures with The Cinema Society screening of “A Walk Among the Tombstones” at Chelsea Bow Tie Cinemas on Sept. 17, 2014, in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 2016
Image Credit: Cindy Ord Calvin Klein takes part in SiriusXM’s Town Hall with Calvin Klein’ hosted by Andy Cohen (R) on SiriusXM Channel Radio Andy on June 8, 2016, in New York City.
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Calvin Klein, 2016
Image Credit: FilmMagic Donna Karan (L) and Calvin Klein attend the “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age Of Technology” Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016, in New York City.