Kevin Klein (Kline): a person and a well-known brand

There are two famous people named Kevin Klein. They are united by the fact that they were both born in the USA in the forties of the last century. Only Kevin Delaney Klein, a native of Missouri, became a Hollywood actor, and his full namesake, distinguished only by an average name - Richards, founded a powerful corporation in the world of haute couture. We will talk about it. The designer, of course, does not have his star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, but is also world famous. And the rays of glory in which he bathes are truly golden. Because the company Calvin Clein.Inc, founded in 1968, continues to generate profits. This fashion house has gradually become a universally recognized brand. What does it mean to "dress up from the UK", read in this article.

Biography of the designer. Carier start

Kevin Richard Klein (we often pronounce his name as Cline, which is wrong) was born in 1942, five years before his namesake, who later conquered Hollywood. According to the zodiac sign, the star designer Scorpio: he celebrates his birthday on November 19. His father was a Jewish middle-aged businessman who lived in the Bronx - at that time it was a suburb of New York. Little Kevin showed a craving for beauty from childhood. Therefore, his father did not stint and gave his son a prestigious education. Kevin Klein graduated from the Higher School of Art when he was only eighteen years old. He already knew who he wanted to become, but decided to continue his education and studied at the Institute of Fashion Technology for another two years. After receiving a ticket to adulthood in 1962, Kevin spent about six years struggling in various design houses in New York, nowhere long staying.

Establishment of own business

Working in fashion houses did not give Kevin any quenching of healthy ambitions, nor sufficient means of subsistence. In a word, nothing but priceless experience. He was forced to even work part time as a street artist. In 1968, a friend of his childhood, Barry Schwartz inspired him - spiritually and financially - to open his own Fashion House. The company was named Calvin Klein Ltd, and was registered in New York. Initially, the company was engaged in the development of outerwear for men. Only since the 70's Kevin Klein decided on the design of women's toilets. Glory came to him not immediately, but it did not take long to wait. Already five years after the company was founded, the designer received the prestigious Coty award in the world of fashion. And this prize he received three years in a row.

The culprit of Logomania

Jeans in American society have always been considered a kind of work clothes. To decorate the overalls and overalls - who will come to mind? Only to such a scandalous guy as Klein. In 1978, the world of fashion was excited, when the models in "designer jeans" came to the podium. The label "SK" (abbreviation Calvin Klein), which flaunted on the back of the pants pocket, was the first swallow of a boom in the late 70's boom, called "logomania". An advertising company propagandizing jeans was also not ordinary. Kevin Klein released a poster that mimicked the famous masterpiece of Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper. At the table in poses, fully copying the apostles and Jesus Christ, sat half-naked models of both sexes. They were wearing only jeans. The poster was called The Last Supper of Klein. And although the designer had to satisfy the claim of the Roman Catholic Church, having paid a million dollars, the advertising company was a success. When the 15-year-old model in the video coquettishly reported that "there is nothing between me and my kelvin", many snobs found this slogan a sign of vulgarity, but the level of sales showed that it worked.

The inventor of the styles "Kazhual" and "Unisex"

In 1992, Kevin Klein produces an advertising poster, the heroes of which are the half-naked rapper Mark Marks and the young model Kate Moss. On the same-sex people the same model of clothes was dressed. Therefore, the designer is considered the godfather of the "unisex" style (that is, clothes that suit both women and men). The king of the fashion industry of the New World did not stop there. He launched into the world of fashion a new concept - designer clothes in casual style. This word means "random", but its more precise meaning is "situation". For a walk in the park or a hike in nature, as well as a youth party and a dinner party, we dress completely different clothes.

Expansion of the corporation

At the same time, when the world watched films with Kevin Klein, almost a namesake of the designer, he himself methodically expanded the boundaries of his fashion-empire. In 1982, when the tape "Sophie's Choice" appeared on the screens, where the actor played one of the main roles, the king of the American fashion world took up his underwear. Clothing, accessories and footwear, created by his house, were meant for young and beautiful - another secret of Klein's success. His firm intentionally does not sew excessively large sizes. Such clothes are not for obese people. Tenderness, adolescence and a kind of frivolity are the main associations that the products under the SK label call. But even in such a win-win situation, it would seem, there were unforeseen difficulties. In 1999, when the actor starred in the movie "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the designer once again caused a scandal in his promotional campaign. The images of lightly dressed adolescents and children demonstrating a new collection of underwear shocked the guardians of morality.

Accessories from UK

In a man everything should be fine - from shoes to a pin in a tie. The designer shared this truth by adding clocks to clothes, linen and shoes. Kevin Klein in 1997 signed a contract with the Swiss company The Swatch Group Ltd, which has already gained a reputation among manufacturers of chronometers. So, the treasured labeling "Made in Swiss" has now become an adornment of wrist watches - men's and women's - from the UK. To this product, the designer has applied a wise pricing policy. Excellent design and reliable Swiss mechanism can be purchased at a relatively low price. The development of models along with the master was occupied by the leading designer of the house of Francisco Costa. The watches of this brand are characterized by elegance and careful study of each detail.

Eau de toilette «Kevin Klein»

The designer and perfumes were not left without attention. A powerful house began to develop new smells - women's, men's, unisex. Since clothes from Kevin Klein created for young and beautiful, then in perfume products, the designer did not deviate from this target audience. Smells of toilet water and spirits are light, naive and at the same time charming. In female toilet water, there is a spontaneity and shock. For the stronger sex, the designer has saved manliness, passion, sensuality. Perfume-unisex will allow you to plunge into the atmosphere of American glamor. House SC likes to produce paired aromas created for lovers - they complement each other.

Personal life

For the first time the designer married back in 1964. Soon after his wife Jane Center, Marcie's daughter was born. But ten years later the marriage broke up. Four years later, in 1978, the girl was kidnapped by a ransom. After nine hours a fee of $ 100,000 was paid and the child was released. But the kidnappers were also arrested. In 1986, the designer married for the second time, taking his wife Kelly Rector as her assistant. Their marriage lasted until 2006. After the divorce, the designer began to meet with bisexual Nick Gruber. Former porn actor and Kevin Klein - photos of this unusual couple flew all the magazines about the life of the stars! Gruber was younger than Klein for forty-eight years. But after the young man was too carried away by drugs, the couple broke up. This happened in 2012.