Calvin Klein steps up denim and underwear strategy, powered by global ambassadors

2025 marked a turning point for Calvin Klein. Long associated with a distinctly American aesthetic, the brand has reinvigorated two of its core pillars—underwear and denim—by enlisting international ambassadors. Riding the momentum of this strategy, it closed the third quarter of 2025 with 2% growth, compared with the same period in 2024.

Rooted in New York iconography and 1990s minimalism, Calvin Klein drew on the star power of Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny to promote its new Icon Cotton Stretch menswear range last March. Through a series of glamorous adverts starring the multi-award-winning artist—fresh from the 2025 Latin Grammy Awards and set to headline the Super Bowl halftime show—the initiative proved a success for Calvin Klein, signalling a deliberate cultural openness in today’s American landscape.

The brand invests in music and sport

Owned by PVH Corp., the brand also made its mark by enlisting the services of Rosalía, a Spanish music icon back in the spotlight with her fourth album, “Lux”. The superstar fronts its new Icon Cotton Modal range, which has recorded “double-digit growth worldwide.”

In the same vein, the American brand launched new campaigns with NBA star Jalen Green and Real Madrid footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold, driving 20% growth for Icon Cotton Stretch underwear.

Denim, another hallmark of Calvin Klein’s identity, has also benefited from this internationalisation of its image. The global campaign featuring Jungkook, a K-pop star and the brand’s global ambassador since 2023, generated strong viral engagement, strengthening consumer affinity with denim as a cultural and commercial pillar of the label. This approach underscores Calvin Klein’s ambition to engage with young, connected and culturally hybrid audiences, well beyond its home market.

The internationalisation of Calvin Klein’s ambassadors

At the same time, the brand continues to assert its American heritage through high-profile symbolic initiatives. The Calvin Klein Spring 2026 runway show, held in New York, generated record engagement on social media, putting the brand at the top of media visibility during fashion week, with 75% of total coverage. This New York staging serves as an identity anchor, while its international ambassadors propel the brand towards a global narrative.

This pivot towards international ambassadors is a recent one, initiated by the brand in 2022 with South Korean personalities—first Jennie, then Jungkook and Mingyu. It has since gathered pace and already appears to be producing measurable effects on certain lines. Previously, the brand relied on North American celebrities such as Kendall Jenner, A$AP Rocky, Shawn Mendes, Christy Turlington, Jeremy Allen White and Kid Cudi.