Calvin Klein: Trends Are Meaningless

The Cut caught up with Calvin Klein over the weekend and the designer had some harsh--but perhaps true--words for any aspiring fashionistas. The harbinger of waifs and minimalism said he is no longer involved in the business of fashion, and as such, "I'm so happy to not pay attention to trends because they are meaningless anyway. They are over fast. As soon as you see them, as soon as you see people wearing them, they are over."

Klein also seems to be so over his company, explaining that he has nothing to do with the label's current advertising, like, say, the underwear ads starring Zoe Saldana.

Comments

[Kivi Stone]

05:45 AM on 08/12/2010

He's right but trends are vital for the fashion business. People buy anything that is considered trendy and the companies makes millions again.

[mssreader]

01:08 PM on 08/11/2010

I remember when he designed some gorgeous clothes. I had a beautiful grey wool pant suit of his design that I wore to pieces and then took it to a resale shop and it sold within hours. He used to mean something in the fashion world but hasn't for many years. I used to wear his jeans but that was a years ago as well. He got too into himself and his personal life became more than his fashion designs though I still looks at his lines on NY Times site.

[KristaPeck]

04:04 AM on 08/11/2010

Expert David Wolfe announced the death of the trend very early this year, which I blogged about. Styles keep cycling, and if you've been on this earth for more than a couple decades, you know this. I disagree with CK, though, and do think his company follows the trends, as illustrated by the style of jeans and accessories they offer.

[naschkatze]

04:11 PM on 08/10/2010

That sounds like someone who says polls are meaningless when they're not going the way he would like them to.

[TheJemaniGroup]

04:06 PM on 08/10/2010

Fashion design for the most part is recreation of creation. It is the innate characteristic of the person wearing the clothes to put together a story that has a beginning and an ending and that is seamless. I despise walking about town seeing EVERYONE wearing the same look or concept of a look. Trends are put out there to brainwash the consumer just don't drink the Kool-aid people.

[JJovana]

01:24 PM on 08/10/2010

Well if you saw any of the fall fashion runway collections, you will notice that investment minimal dressing is back. Thank god. Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry have RUINED fashion.

Im glad to see minimal, sophisticated stuff coming back.

[Daisytoo]

04:18 PM on 08/10/2010

It always does when the economy is crashing. Someone better tell Michelle Obama, the queen of trendiness.

[bluguy8]

08:00 PM on 08/10/2010

Whenever minimal fashion us around it goes very fast because nobody buys it .
It will go back to some trend and that will stir business

[PresidentRobertBooth]

12:08 PM on 08/10/2010

Trends are conformist by nature.

Then again, so is avoiding trends.


So it's all pretty pointless.


Which is why I just spend most of my time naked.

[ChaiKat]

11:39 AM on 08/10/2010

Most people can't afford to follow fashion trends anyway, so really many of us have known this for a while Mr. Klein.

[JScott]

10:48 AM on 08/10/2010

Notice this is said AFTER he's made his zillion bucks.

[suemj]

10:52 AM on 08/10/2010

Thank you! That's exactly what I was about to post after seeing yours. What nerve of him, after the fact and after making sure that he milks every trend for every dollar he can get! What are we, fools? (Apparently so, if many buy his clothes!)

[JScott]

11:52 AM on 08/11/2010

can't say I've bought any.

[imonlyhereforthelaughs]

09:58 AM on 08/10/2010

Aloof fashion designers mean nothing. Most of their alleged fashions aren't even theirs. By the time someone gets to his lofty standing, they have a herd of underlings doing all of the designing. They just sign off on th ones they like best and take all of the credit for it.

[mssreader]

01:16 PM on 08/11/2010

imonlyhere, if I were wealthy I would buy only Ralph Lauren though I buy when on sale often enough these day and at outlets, as I love his classic, clean lines and gorgeous fabrics. Here is a guy who IS involved in his designs even if he himself seldom wears other than jeans, a white shirt and a navy blazer, whose hair is white and doesn't look like he's had face work or even botox.

[Pauline Walters]

09:58 AM on 08/10/2010

Calvin Klein is a joke because he built an industry on starting trends especially in underwear models.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=marky+mark+klein+ad&FORM=IGRE&qpvt=marky+mark+klein+ad

The link above is full of Calvin Klein underwear models that are/were trendsetting. So him to say that "trends are meaningless" is a joke.

[politics nerd]

09:40 AM on 08/10/2010

YAWN.

[glake]

09:24 AM on 08/10/2010

That Calvin, he really is a deep thinker.

Saying "trends don't matter" is like a gazillionaire saying money isn't everything...

Oops. Calvin probably already said that a long time ago.

That would make this kind of thinking a trend...

[yemaya]

09:36 AM on 08/10/2010

He sure thought it was important back when he was designing though.

What a creep.

are those cheek implants?

[Lakesideboy]

09:08 AM on 08/10/2010

Well, isn't that something, Calvin. Those hyper trendy jockey shorts and jeans sure made you a billionaire - meaningless, huh?