Restart: Veronica’s Leoni first collection for Calvin Klein

One of the season's most anticipated shows, Veronica Leoni’s debut collection for Calvin Klein, which she presented during the New York Fashion Week at the brand’s Midtown offices at 205 West 39th Street, marked the revival of the American legend and a major return to its fashion origins.

In her show notes, Leoni described the Autumn-Winter 2025 collection as “an ode to monumental minimalism”, a phrase that perfectly encapsulates her previous experiences. A true fashion veteran, the Italian designer honed her skills working for Jil Sander with the house’s founder, collaborating at Celine under Phoebe Philo, and contributing to The Row and Moncler before launching her own brand of delicate yet powerful womenswear, Quira. When she was named Calvin Klein’s new creative director last May, it signalled to the industry that this iconic American brand was ready to reassert its place on the fashion map following the abrupt departure of Raf Simons in 2018, who had presented only three collections, albeit ones that were widely praised. Thus, this show not only marked a rebirth for the American powerhouse but also heralded its return to NYFW after a six-year hiatus, under the vision of its first female director.

“A distinct way of dressing. Freedom for women, liberation for men, versatility for today. Unadorned purity. Radical in elegance. Innate desirability. Heightened sophistication” - these lines from the new Calvin Klein manifesto attest that Veronica Leoni, who will oversee both the catwalk and commercial collections (including underwear and perfume), is well on her way to forging a strong and unified brand identity. In her debut collection for the iconic house, she returned to its very essence: the monumental minimalism that once became synonymous with Calvin Klein in the 1990s - propelled by legendary advertising campaigns starring Kate Moss and Christy Turlington (both of whom were present at the show alongside Calvin Klein himself). For her debut, Leoni drew inspiration from the archives of the house - she fell in love with ballerina flats and cashmere sweaters that she called backstage “Sleeping beauties that longed for a kiss”. She also infused the collection with her own imaginative vision of the American dream (Rome-born Leoni always dreamed of travelling to the US one day) in the likes of her favourite cinema characters Jessica Rabbit and Clark Kent, as well as archetypal images of taxis drivers and local sex workers. Thus, her silhouettes on the catwalk embodied her manifesto for minimalism: strict black tailoring, shrunken jumpers layered over cotton shirts, baggy jeans, monochrome draped jersey dresses, and a variety of enveloping oversized maxi coats. On her crystal white catwalk, adorned with giant Calvin Klein letters in black, there was also special attention to detail - omnipresent square-toe flats (from moccasins and slippers to slingback ballet flats, similar to those she saw in the archives) and the minaudières that mimic the distinctive shape of the bottles of the fragrance CK-One, worn flat, that broke the Internet after the show.

“Sexiness has very much been on my mind. I wanted to redefine femininity and masculinity in the landscape of today. So I kept in my mind this idea of American beauty; beauty in the most fresh and pure way”, Veronica Leoni reflected backstage on the concept of desire and sexiness. After all, Calvin Klein was also known back in the day for being a part of the sexual revolution of the 90s. “When it comes to sexiness, it’s more like an attitude,” she continued. “You own it in the way you wear the clothes. I think it’s really intimate being sexy – regardless of the silhouette, the amount of skin, it’s about confidence”. And this is the new Calvin Klein, according to Veronica Leoni, the first woman at the helm of the famed American brand.

Courtesy: Calvin Klein

Text: Lidia Ageeva