Calvin Klein

One of America's most famous designers, Calvin Klein is known for streamlined clothes, designer jeans, underwear, and provocative advertising campaigns. Klein, a 1962 graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, launched his clothing company in 1968. Soon thereafter, his work caught the attention of a merchandising manager from the prestigious and chic Bonwit Teller, which displayed Klein's creations in its windows. From the beginning, Klein intended his clothes to look and feel "easy" and "free," but also luxurious. "Couture" materials, such as cashmere, camel hair, and crepe gabardine, as well as fine leather, suede, line, and silk, were integral to his design sensibility. His subdued palette of neutral tones also made him popular with a sophisticated clientele.