CALVIN KLEIN REOPENS MADISON AVENUE FLAGSHIP

Calvin Klein has reopened its Madison Avenue flagship, complete with a floor-to-ceiling installation by Sterling Ruby, a longtime collaborator of Calvin Klein’s chief creative officer Raf Simons.

The three-story flagship, which was originally designed by architect John Pawson, has been transformed into a bright yellow space filled with scaffolding and Ruby’s now-familiar fringing and American flag-inspired textiles hanging from the ceiling. The installation is temporary, however, and precedes a full renovation of the building.

The store now features Simons’ fall/winter 205W39NYC collection that debuted during New York Fashion Week in February, as well as vintage quilts, Homer Laughlin coffee mugs, Rose Cabat’s ceramic “Feelies”, bedding, and more.

“I’m taking the Calvin Klein flagship store from minimal to maximal; my design should be seen as a marker to celebrate the future of the brand,” said Ruby. “I wanted the store to glow from within, representing a new day for Calvin Klein.”

“I wanted the store to generate a very immediate physical experience that could as well be intimately connected to the collections,” added Simons. “It is also a continuation of the language I am creating with Sterling for Calvin Klein’s visible and physical identity. The use of very direct and familiar references common to the American visual experience creates a simple and emotional connection with the brand.”