Calvin Klein’s long-running ‘My Calvins’ advertising campaign has been lauded as being star studded and sensual. The brand’s latest campaign takes this concept to the next level, with Australian actress and model Abbey Lee Kershaw staring in the ‘Erotica’ campaign alongside famous faces Kendall Jenner, Saskia de Brauw and Klara Kristin.
Calvin Klein is no stranger to the using sex appeal in its widely distributed advertising materials, with previous advertising campaigns harnessing the appeal of seeing scores of famous people in very little clothing. These campaigns have been both beautifully executed, and extremely well received, with features such as Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar and FKA Twigs drawing the eye of the public.
The latest interpretation of this campaign stands out for its eroticism. Photographed by Harley Weir, this is a project that proves that sex continues to shock and sell product.
The campaign features Australia’s own Abbey Lee Kershaw alongside Kendall Jenner, Klara Kristin and Dutch model Saskia de Brauw. Jenner is no stranger to Calvin Klein, having also featured in last season’s advertising campaign.
In ‘Erotica’ Jenner has moved away from the typical underwear shoot, instead opting to seductively hold a suggestive grapefruit. Kershaw and Kristin both push this theme more explicitly than Jenner however, with Kershaw suggestively re-interpreting the underwear shot, alongside the inclusion of many taboo up-skirt shots of the pair.
The campaign is not only erotic in content, but also in its word play. Provocative lines such as “I throb in my Calvins,” attributed to Kershaw, and “I flash in my Calvins” from Kristin are paired with the slightly more subtle messages like “I enchant in my Calvins’ and “I eat in my Calvins.”
Kershaw is a surprise inclusion in the campaign, as previous to this year she had been focusing primarily on her acting career. Lately however, Kershaw’s modelling prowess has resurfaced with features in Kenzo’s SS16 campaign and Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium fragrance campaign.
What will be interesting to watch in future Calvin Klein campaigns is whether the ‘My Calvins’ concept is here to stay, or if ‘Erotica’ will be its final iteration. With Francisco Costa and Italo Zuccelli exiting the brand, the role of Artistic Director is still up for grabs, with widespread speculation hinting at Raf Simons.
Will a new director move away from the prolific ‘My Calvins’ campaign? Only time will tell.
