Calvin Klein

(born Nov. 19, 1942, New York, N.Y., U.S.) U.S. fashion designer. He attended the Fashion Institute of Technology. He opened his own company in 1968, when casual, hippie-style clothing was in fashion, but took a different direction by designing simple, understated, elegant clothing. Though noted at first for suits and coats, he gradually placed more emphasis on sportswear, particularly interchangeable separates. He was the first designer to win three consecutive Coty Awards for womenswear (1973 – 75). Over the course of the 1980s and '90s he became known for his clothing, cosmetics, linens, and other designer collections, as well as for his erotic advertising photographs, some of which have drawn public protest. His achievements represented the maturation of the American fashion industry.