Can Americans Rely on Calvin Klein… Again?

By Romi More

“Calvin carries a big responsibility. We kind of rely on it as Americans,” remarked Grace Mirabella, Vogue’s editor-in-chief from 1971 to 1988 and later founder of Mirabella magazine, during Calvin Klein’s Fall 1993 show. Her words, spoken at the peak of the brand’s cultural dominance, became both prophecy and burden. In the years that followed, Calvin Klein struggled to live up to those expectations, recently even becoming a subject of “rise and fall” narratives. Yet fashion thrives on reinvention. After its much-publicized runway comeback in Fall/Winter 2025, the house now presents its second season, Spring/Summer 2026, at the Brant Foundation in New York’s East Village, and we are very much here for it. 

After a six-year absence, this is the second season of Calvin Klein Collection trying to reassert its claim to American minimalism under the direction of Italian designer Veronica Leoni. This season Leoni indeed treated us with the most iconic 90-s elements and styling which once made Calvin Klein synonymous with the American understated sex appeal: underwear as outwear, sheer details, streamlined silhouettes and less is more attitude (Look 53, Look 5, Look 6). Look six distilled this nostalgia: a black trouser-and-blazer set offset by a sheer, structured bra provocatively revealed through a plunging neckline. It was the essence of 90s Calvin: simple, sensual, and direct. 

Calvin Klein Spring/Summer 2026: Looks 5, 6, 32 (Images courtesy of Calvin Klein)

Yet the collection was far from pure 90s nostalgia. Minimalist silhouettes were invigorated by delicate fringe, playful pompoms, and asymmetrical draping; hallmarks of Raf Simons’s expressive SS18 motifs. His imprint was especially visible in fringe-trimmed dresses and oversized pompoms, whether suspended from garter belts or paired unexpectedly with tailored suits (Look 33, Look 34, Look 35). Leoni has also added her own vision by incorporating the elements drawn from today’s American everyday life and blending expression into CK’s iconic mix of precision and restraint. This was particularly evident in exaggerated silhouettes and accessories that juxtaposed minimalism with playful everyday details: key-shaped bag charms, headscarves, and statement sunglasses featuring the staple CK underwear stripe (Look 36, Look 38, Look 55). Footwear echoed this dialogue as well. The looks were complemented by thong flip-flops, soft leather slips, peculiar moccasin-sneakers, and tilted-heel shoes with unexpected cutouts, which referenced 90-s staples while feeling modern and effortlessly wearable (Look 11, Look 18, Look 19).

Among the invited guests were A-listers such as Korean K-pop star Jung Kook, Spanish singer, and brand muse Rosalía, celebrities like Lily Collins, Emily Ratajkowski, Anna Wintour, alongside Gen-Z favorites Yesly Dimate, Bách, and Lyas. 

So, can Americans rely on Calvin Klein again as the brand that champions the American lifestyle and zeitgeist globally? Even though some pieces in the SS26 collection leaned toward overstatement as per Calvin Klein standards, and Veronica Leoni’s full potential in the brand is yet to be revealed, this season suggests that the answer is cautiously optimistic.

Calvin Klein Spring/Summer 2026: Looks 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 55, 11, 18, 19 (Images courtesy of Calvin Klein)