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{{about|the fashion designer|his company|Calvin Klein (company)}}
he municipality of Schwangau lies at an elevation of 800 m (2,620 ft) at the southwest border of the German state of Bavaria. Its surroundings are characterized by the transition between the Alpine foothills in the south (toward the nearby Austrian border) and a hilly landscape in the north that appears flat by comparison.
{{Infobox fashion designer
| name = Calvin Klein
| image = Calvin Klein 2011 Shankbone.JPG
| caption = Klein at the 2011 [[Tribeca Film Festival]] ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' party
| birth_name = Calvin Richard Klein
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1942|11|19}}
| birth_place = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[U.S.]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| residence = [[Southampton, New York]], U.S.
| occupation = Fashion designer
| net worth =
| education = [[Fashion Institute of Technology]]
| label_name = [[Calvin Klein (company)|Calvin Klein Inc.]]
| awards =
| parents = Flore Stern Klein<br> Leo Klein
| spouse = {{marriage|Jayne Centre|1965|1974|reason=divorced}}<br>{{marriage|Kelly Rector|1986|2006|reason=divorced}}
| children = [[Marci Klein]]
}}


'''Calvin Richard Klein''' (born November 19, 1942) is an American [[Fashion design|fashion designer]] who launched the company that would later become [[Calvin Klein (company)|Calvin Klein Inc.]], in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry.
In the Middle Ages, three castles overlooked the villages. One was called Schwanstein Castle.[nb 1] In 1832, Ludwig's father King Maximilian II of Bavaria bought its ruins to replace them with the comfortable neo-Gothic palace known as Hohenschwangau Castle. Finished in 1837, the palace became his family's summer residence, and his elder son Ludwig (born 1845) spent a large part of his childhood here.[5]


==Early years==
Vorderhohenschwangau Castle and Hinterhohenschwangau Castle[nb 2] sat on a rugged hill overlooking Schwanstein Castle, two nearby lakes (Alpsee and Schwansee), and the village. Separated only by a moat, they jointly consisted of a hall, a keep, and a fortified tower house.[6] In the nineteenth century only ruins remained of the twin medieval castles, but those of Hinterhohenschwangau served as a lookout place known as Sylphenturm.[7]
Klein was born to a [[Hungarian Jews|Hungarian Jewish]] family in [[The Bronx]], the son of Flore (''née'' Stern) and Leo Klein.<ref name=HouseofKlein>Marsh, Lisa [https://books.google.com/books?id=7RLw63appZsC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=Leo+Klein+and+Flore+Stern&source=bl&ots=EkTRZbcZti&sig=4jS6LxBCBf6JLX1r5L31iJsyn0c&hl=en&sa=X&ei=nhFiVb3OIM2wsAThr4DwBQ&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Leo%20Klein%20and%20Flore%20Stern&f=false The House of Klein: Fashion, Controversy, and a Business Obsession] {{ISBN|9780471478959}} | Publisher: Wiley \ Publication date: 5/4/2004</ref> Leo had immigrated to New York from [[Hungary]], while Flore was born in the United States to an immigrant from [[Austria]] and an American dentist.<ref name=HouseofKlein />


Klein went to Isobel Rooney Middle School 80 (M.S.80) as a child. He attended the [[High School of Art and Design]] in [[Manhattan]] and matriculated at, but never graduated from, New York's [[Fashion Institute of Technology]], receiving an honorary doctorate in 2003. He did his apprenticeship in 1962 at an oldline cloak-and-suit manufacturer, Dan Millstein,{{citation needed|date=November 2012}} and spent five years designing at other [[New York City]] shops. In 1968, he launched his first company with a childhood friend,<ref name="Luxury">{{cite book | title=Luxury Brand Management | publisher=John Wiley & Sons | author=Chevalier, Michel | year=2012 | location=Singapore | isbn=978-1-118-17176-9}}</ref> [[Barry K. Schwartz]].<ref name="Luxury"/><ref name="citylife">{{cite web|url=http://cityfile.com/profiles/calvin-klein|title=Calvin j|publisher=Citylife.com|accessdate=28 January 2010|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901185806/http://cityfile.com/profiles/calvin-klein|archivedate=1 September 2009|df=}}</ref>
The ruins above the family palace were known to the crown prince from his excursions. He first sketched one of them in his diary in 1859.[8] When the young king came to power in 1864, the construction of a new palace in place of the two ruined castles became the first in his series of palace building projects.[9] Ludwig called the new palace New Hohenschwangau Castle; only after his death was it renamed Neuschwanstein.[10] The confusing result is that Hohenschwangau and Schwanstein have effectively swapped names: Hohenschwangau Castle replaced the ruins of Schwanstein Castle, and Neuschwanstein Castle replaced the ruins of the two Hohenschwangau Castles.


Klein was one of several design leaders raised in the [[Jewish]] immigrant community in the Bronx, along with [[Robert Denning]] and [[Ralph Lauren]]. He became a [[wikt:protégé|protégé]] of [[Nicolas de Gunzburg|Baron de Gunzburg]],<ref name="citylife"/> through whose introductions he became the toast of the New York elite fashion scene even before he had his first mainstream success with the launch of his first jeans line. He was immediately recognized for his talent after his first major showing at [[New York Fashion Week]]. He was hailed as the new [[Yves Saint-Laurent (designer)|Yves Saint Laurent]], and was noted for his clean lines.
History
Inspiration and design
Neuschwanstein embodies both the contemporaneous architectural fashion known as castle romanticism (German: Burgenromantik), and Ludwig II's immoderate enthusiasm for the operas of Richard Wagner.


==Personal life==
In the 19th century, many castles were constructed or reconstructed, often with significant changes to make them more picturesque. Palace-building projects similar to Neuschwanstein had been undertaken earlier in several of the German states and included Hohenschwangau Castle, Lichtenstein Castle, Hohenzollern Castle, and numerous buildings on the River Rhine such as Stolzenfels Castle.[11] The inspiration for the construction of Neuschwanstein came from two journeys in 1867 — one in May to the reconstructed Wartburg near Eisenach,[12] another in July to the Château de Pierrefonds, which Eugène Viollet-le-Duc was transforming from a ruined castle into a historistic palace.[13][nb 3]
Klein married Jayne Centre, a [[textile]] designer, in 1964.<ref name="NY Magazine">{{cite web|last1=Gross|first1=Michael|title=The Latest Calvin|url=http://mgross.com/writing/profiles/calvin-klein/|publisher=Originally ''New York'' magazine|accessdate=14 July 2014|ref=NY Mag}}</ref> They have a daughter, [[Marci Klein|Marci]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vogue.co.uk/biographies/080422-calvin-klein-biography.aspx|title=Calvin Klein|date=2008-04-22|publisher=''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]''|accessdate=28 January 2010|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718043633/http://www.vogue.co.uk/biographies/080422-calvin-klein-biography.aspx|archivedate=18 July 2009|df=}}</ref> who currently works as Talent Producer for NBC's ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. They divorced in 1974.<ref name="NY Magazine" /> In September 1986 Klein married his assistant, Kelly Rector, in [[Rome]] while they were on a buying trip in Italy.<ref name="NY Magazine" /> She later became a well-known socialite photographer. After separating in 1996, they divorced in April 2006 after 20 years of marriage.<ref name="citylife"/><ref>{{cite news|title=AT LAST, A BABY FOR KELLY AT 50|url=http://pagesix.com/2007/08/28/at-last-a-baby-for-kelly-at-50/|accessdate=14 July 2014|work=PageSix.com|publisher=''[[The New York Post]]''|date=August 28, 2007|ref=Page Six}}</ref> In 2003, Klein bought an ocean-front estate in [[Southampton, New York]] on [[Long Island]]<ref name="citylife"/> and demolished it to build a US$75 million glass-and-concrete mansion.<ref>Daily Mail, [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3094240/Billionaire-Lane-fashion-designers-real-estate-tycoons-Wall-street-financiers-live-East-Coast-s-exclusive-5-mile-stretch-equipped-private-beach-helipad.html Billionaire Lane: From fashion designers to real estate tycoons and Wall Street financiers. Meet those who live on the East Coast's most exclusive 5-mile stretch with a private beach and helipad] CHARLENE ADAMS, May 23, 2015</ref> Calvin Klein dated former [[pornography]] star Nicholas Gruber before the pair separated in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-metro-calvin-klein-nicholas-gruber-arrest-assault-20190315-story.html|title=Model, ex-gay porn star who dated Calvin Klein busted in Manhattan for vicious frying pan assault|author=Shayna Jacobs and Rocco Parascandola|newspaper=New York Daily News|date=March 15, 2019|accessdate=March 16, 2019}}</ref> Klein is a supporter of the U.S. [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], having given over $250,000 to candidates and [[Political action committee|PAC]]s since 1980.<ref>[http://newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Calvin_Klein.php] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213160547/http://newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Calvin_Klein.php |date=December 13, 2007 }}</ref>


==Awards==
In 1974, Klein designed the tight-fitting signature jeans that would go on to gross $200,000 in their first week of sales.<ref name="Vogue Arabia">{{cite web|last1=Morgan|first1=Philippa|title=Calvin Klein: How the Fashion Phenomenon Kept His Cool|url=http://en.vogue.me/fashion/calvin-klein-designer-fashion-facts/|website=Vogue|accessdate=15 December 2016}}</ref> In that same year he also became the first designer to receive outstanding design in men’s and women’s wear from the [[Council of Fashion Designers of America|CFDA]] award show.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}} In 1983, he was placed on the [[International Best Dressed List]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Introducing the International Best-Dressed List 2016 Hall of Fame|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/09/international-best-dressed-list-hall-of-fame-2016|website=Vanity Fair|accessdate=15 December 2016}}</ref> Also in 1981, 1983 and 1993, he received an award from Councils of Fashion Designs of America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cfda.com/cfda-fashion-awards#past-winners|title=CFDA Fashion Awards|last=CFDA|access-date=2016-08-11}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}


==Other==
Neuschwanstein project drawing (Christian Jank 1869)
Klein made a cameo appearance in Season 3, Episode 15 ("[[The Bubble (30 Rock)|The Bubble]]"), of the television series ''[[30 Rock]]''.<ref>{{cite news|first=Amy|last=Odell|url=http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2009/01/am_links_21.html|title=Victoria Beckham Now in Russian Vogue; Calvin Klein Spotted at ''30 Rock''|accessdate=2010-03-11|date=2009-01-23|work=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]}}</ref> A fictionalized version of him also appears in Season 4, Episode 13 ("[[The Pick]]"), of the television series ''[[Seinfeld]]''.
The king saw both buildings as representatives of a romantic interpretation of the Middle Ages, as well as the musical mythology of his friend Wagner, whose operas Tannhäuser and Lohengrin had made a lasting impression on him.[14]


==Filmography==
In February 1868, Ludwig's grandfather Ludwig I died, freeing the considerable sums that were previously spent on the abdicated king's appanage.[9][nb 4] This allowed Ludwig II to start the architectural project of building a private refuge in the familiar landscape far from the capital Munich, so that he could live out his idea of the Middle Ages.
* ''The Emperor's New Clothes: An All-Star Illustrated Retelling of the Classic Fairy Tale'' 1998 (voice)


==See also==
It is my intention to rebuild the old castle ruin of Hohenschwangau near the Pöllat Gorge in the authentic style of the old German knights' castles, and I must confess to you that I am looking forward very much to living there one day [...]; you know the revered guest I would like to accommodate there; the location is one of the most beautiful to be found, holy and unapproachable, a worthy temple for the divine friend who has brought salvation and true blessing to the world. It will also remind you of "Tannhäuser" (Singers' Hall with a view of the castle in the background), "Lohengrin'" (castle courtyard, open corridor, path to the chapel) ...
* [[LGBT culture in New York City]]


==References==
— Ludwig II, Letter to Richard Wagner, May 1868[15]
{{reflist}}
The building design was drafted by the stage designer Christian Jank and realized by the architect Eduard Riedel.[16] For technical reasons, the ruined castles could not be integrated into the plan. Initial ideas for the palace drew stylistically on Nuremberg Castle and envisaged a simple building in place of the old Vorderhohenschwangau Castle, but they were rejected and replaced by increasingly extensive drafts, culminating in a bigger palace modelled on the Wartburg.[17] The king insisted on a detailed plan and on personal approval of each and every draft.[18] Ludwig's control went so far that the palace has been regarded as his own creation, rather than that of the architects involved.[19]


== External links ==
Whereas contemporary architecture critics derided Neuschwanstein, one of the last big palace building projects of the nineteenth century, as kitsch, Neuschwanstein and Ludwig II's other buildings are now counted among the major works of European historicism.[20][21] For financial reasons, a project similar to Neuschwanstein – Falkenstein Castle – never left the planning stages.[22]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070831160131/http://au.askmen.com/men/business_politics/36_calvin_klein.html Info and photos related to Calvin Klein at askmen.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100822022417/http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/100810-calvin-klein-antitrend-ethos.aspx Calvin Klein talks trends on VOGUE.COM]
* [http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20160516164651/http://www.infomat.com/whoswho/calvinklein.html Calvin Klein’s bio at informat.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070901113820/http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/298:130/1/Calvin_Klein.htm The Biography Channel]
* [http://www.fragrancewholesale.com/somhisandbac4.html Some History and Background on Calvin Klein]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090323163348/http://www.no1-in-beauty.com/Articles/calvin_klein.htm Calvin Klein — a modern fashion icon]
* [http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20081260,00.html People magazine, January 18,1982. Calvin Klein, King of clothes]
* [http://mgross.com/writing/profiles/calvin-klein/ The Latest Calvin by Michael Gross, NY Magazine August 8, 1988]


{{Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award}}
The palace can be regarded as typical for nineteenth-century architecture. The shapes of Romanesque (simple geometric figures such as cuboids and semicircular arches), Gothic (upward-pointing lines, slim towers, delicate embellishments) and Byzantine architecture and art (the Throne Hall décor) were mingled in an eclectic fashion and supplemented with 19th-century technical achievements. The Patrona Bavariae and Saint George on the court face of the Palas (main building) are depicted in the local Lüftlmalerei [de] style, a fresco technique typical for Allgäu farmers' houses, while the unimplemented drafts for the Knights' House gallery foreshadow elements of Art Nouveau.[23] Characteristic of Neuschwanstein's design are theatre themes: Christian Jank drew on coulisse drafts from his time as a scenic painter.[24]
{{American sportswear}}


{{Authority control}}
The basic style was originally planned to be neo-Gothic but the palace was primarily built in Romanesque style in the end. The operatic themes moved gradually from Tannhäuser and Lohengrin to Parsifal.[25]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Klein, Calvin}}
Construction
[[Category:1942 births]]

[[Category:Living people]]
Neuschwanstein under construction: Bower still missing, Rectangular Tower under construction (photograph c. 1882–85)
[[Category:American actors]]

[[Category:American fashion businesspeople]]
Neuschwanstein under construction: upper courtyard (photograph c. 1886)
[[Category:American fashion designers]]
In 1868, the ruins of the medieval twin castles were completely demolished; the remains of the old keep were blown up.[26] The foundation stone for the palace was laid on September 5, 1869; in 1872 its cellar was completed and in 1876, everything up to the first floor, the gatehouse being finished first. At the end of 1882 it was completed and fully furnished, allowing Ludwig to take provisional lodgings there and observe the ongoing construction work.[25] In 1874, management of the civil works passed from Eduard Riedel to Georg von Dollmann.[27] The topping out ceremony for the Palas was in 1880, and in 1884, the king was able to move into the new building. In the same year the direction of the project passed to Julius Hofmann, after Dollmann had fallen from the King's favor.
[[Category:American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent]]

[[Category:Art Students League of New York alumni]]
The palace was erected as a conventional brick construction and later encased in various types of rock. The white limestone used for the fronts came from a nearby quarry.[28] The sandstone bricks for the portals and bay windows came from Schlaitdorf in Württemberg. Marble from Untersberg near Salzburg was used for the windows, the arch ribs, the columns and the capitals. The Throne Hall was a later addition to the plans and required a steel framework.
[[Category:Businesspeople from New York (state)]]

[[Category:Fashion Institute of Technology alumni]]
The transport of building materials was facilitated by scaffolding and a steam crane that lifted the material to the construction site. Another crane was used at the construction site. The recently founded Dampfkessel-Revisionsverein (Steam Boiler Inspection Association) regularly inspected both boilers.
[[Category:Jewish fashion designers]]

[[Category:LGBT fashion designers]]
For about two decades the construction site was the principal employer in the region.[29] In 1880, about 200 craftsmen were occupied at the site,[30] not counting suppliers and other persons indirectly involved in the construction. At times when the king insisted on particularly close deadlines and urgent changes, reportedly up to 300 workers per day were active, sometimes working at night by the light of oil lamps. Statistics from the years 1879/1880 support an immense amount of building materials: 465 tonnes (513 short tons) of Salzburg marble, 1,550 t (1,710 short tons) of sandstone, 400,000 bricks and 2,050 cubic metres (2,680 cu yd) of wood for the scaffolding.
[[Category:American male voice actors]]

[[Category:People from the Bronx]]
In 1870, a society was founded for insuring the workers, for a low monthly fee, augmented by the king. The heirs of construction casualties (30 cases are mentioned in the statistics) received a small pension.
[[Category:New York (state) Democrats]]

[[Category:High School of Art and Design alumni]]
In 1884, the king was able to move into the (still unfinished) Palas,[31] and in 1885, he invited his mother Marie to Neuschwanstein on the occasion of her 60th birthday.[nb 5] By 1886, the external structure of the Palas (hall) was mostly finished.[31] In the same year, Ludwig had the first, wooden Marienbrücke over the Pöllat Gorge replaced by a steel construction.
[[Category:CFDA Award winners]]

Despite its size, Neuschwanstein did not have space for the royal court, but contained only the king's private lodging and servants' rooms. The court buildings served decorative, rather than residential purposes:[10] The palace was intended to serve Ludwig II as a kind of inhabitable theatrical setting.[31] As a temple of friendship it was also dedicated to the life and work of Richard Wagner, who died in 1883 before he had set foot in the building.[32] In the end, Ludwig II only lived in the palace for a total of 172 days.[33]

Funding

Neuschwanstein in 1886
The king's wishes and demands expanded during the construction of Neuschwanstein, and so did the expenses. Drafts and estimated costs were revised repeatedly.[34] Initially a modest study was planned instead of the great throne hall, and projected guest rooms were struck from the drafts to make place for a Moorish Hall, which could not be realized due to lack of resources. Completion was originally projected for 1872, but deferred repeatedly.[34]

Neuschwanstein, the symbolic medieval knight's castle, was not Ludwig II's only huge construction project. It was followed by the rococo style Lustschloss of Linderhof Palace and the baroque palace of Herrenchiemsee, a monument to the era of absolutism.[9] Linderhof, the smallest of the projects, was finished in 1886, and the other two remain incomplete. All three projects together drained his resources. The king paid for his construction projects by private means and from his civil list income. Contrary to frequent claims, the Bavarian treasury was not directly burdened by his buildings.[31][35] From 1871, Ludwig had an additional secret income in return for a political favor given to Otto von Bismarck.[nb 6]

The construction costs of Neuschwanstein in the king's lifetime amounted to 6.2 million marks (equivalent to 40 million 2009 €),[36] almost twice the initial cost estimate of 3.2 million marks.[35] As his private means were insufficient for his increasingly escalating construction projects, the king continuously opened new lines of credit.[37] In 1876, a court counselor was replaced after pointing out the danger of insolvency.[38] By 1883 he already owed 7 million marks,[39] and in spring 1884 and August 1885 debt conversions of 7.5 million marks and 6.5 million marks, respectively, became necessary.[37]

Even after his debts had reached 14 million marks, Ludwig insisted on continuation of his architectural projects; he threatened suicide if his creditors seized his palaces.[38] In early 1886, Ludwig asked his cabinet for a credit of 6 million marks, which was denied. In April, he followed Bismarck's advice to apply for the money to his parliament. In June the Bavarian government decided to depose the king, who was living at Neuschwanstein at the time. On June 9 he was incapacitated, and on June 10 he had the deposition commission arrested in the gatehouse.[40] In expectation of the commission, he alerted the gendarmerie and fire brigades of surrounding places for his protection.[37] A second commission headed by Bernhard von Gudden arrived on the next day, and the king was forced to leave the palace that night. Ludwig was put under the supervision of von Gudden. On June 13, both died under mysterious circumstances in the shallow shore water of Lake Starnberg near Berg Castle.

Simplified completion

Neuschwanstein front façade and surroundings (photochrom print, c. 1900)

A 1901 postcard of Berg Castle
At the time of Ludwig's death the palace was far from complete. He slept only 11 nights in the castle. The external structures of the Gatehouse and the Palas were mostly finished but the Rectangular Tower was still scaffolded. Work on the Bower had not started, but was completed in a simplified form by 1892 without the planned figures of the female saints. The Knights' House was also simplified. In Ludwig's plans the columns in the Knights' House gallery were held as tree trunks and the capitals as the corresponding crowns. Only the foundations existed for the core piece of the palace complex: a keep of 90 metres (300 ft) height planned in the upper courtyard, resting on a three-nave chapel. This was not realized,[18] and a connection wing between the Gatehouse and the Bower saw the same fate.[41] Plans for a castle garden with terraces and a fountain west of the Palas were also abandoned after the king's death.

The interior of the royal living space in the palace was mostly completed in 1886; the lobbies and corridors were painted in a simpler style by 1888.[42] The Moorish Hall desired by the king (and planned below the Throne Hall) was not realized any more than the so-called Knights' Bath, which, modeled after the Knights' Bath in the Wartburg, was intended to render homage to the knights' cult as a medieval baptism bath. A Bride Chamber in the Bower (after a location in Lohengrin),[24] guest rooms in the first and second floor of the Palas and a great banquet hall were further abandoned projects.[34] In fact, a complete development of Neuschwanstein had never even been planned, and at the time of the king's death there was not a utilization concept for numerous rooms.[30]

Neuschwanstein was still incomplete when Ludwig II died in 1886. The king never intended to make the palace accessible to the public.[31] No more than six weeks after the king's death, however, the regent Luitpold ordered the palace opened to paying visitors. The administrators of Ludwig's estate managed to balance the construction debts by 1899.[43] From then until World War I, Neuschwanstein was a stable and lucrative source of revenue for the House of Wittelsbach, indeed Ludwig's castles were probably the single largest income source earned by the Bavarian royal family in the last years prior to 1914. To guarantee a smooth course of visits, some rooms and the court buildings were finished first. Initially the visitors were allowed to move freely in the palace, causing the furniture to wear quickly.

Revision as of 01:46, 29 March 2019

This article is about the fashion designer. For his company, see Calvin Klein (company).
Calvin Klein
Klein at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival Vanity Fair party
Born
Calvin Richard Klein

(1942-11-19) November 19, 1942 (age 82)
New York City, New York, U.S.
EducationFashion Institute of Technology
OccupationFashion designer
LabelCalvin Klein Inc.
Spouse(s)
Jayne Centre
​
​
(m. 1965; div. 1974)​

Kelly Rector
​
​
(m. 1986; div. 2006)​
ChildrenMarci Klein
Parent(s)Flore Stern Klein
Leo Klein

Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry.

Early years

Klein was born to a Hungarian Jewish family in The Bronx, the son of Flore (née Stern) and Leo Klein.[1] Leo had immigrated to New York from Hungary, while Flore was born in the United States to an immigrant from Austria and an American dentist.[1]

Klein went to Isobel Rooney Middle School 80 (M.S.80) as a child. He attended the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan and matriculated at, but never graduated from, New York's Fashion Institute of Technology, receiving an honorary doctorate in 2003. He did his apprenticeship in 1962 at an oldline cloak-and-suit manufacturer, Dan Millstein,[citation needed] and spent five years designing at other New York City shops. In 1968, he launched his first company with a childhood friend,[2] Barry K. Schwartz.[2][3]

Klein was one of several design leaders raised in the Jewish immigrant community in the Bronx, along with Robert Denning and Ralph Lauren. He became a protégé of Baron de Gunzburg,[3] through whose introductions he became the toast of the New York elite fashion scene even before he had his first mainstream success with the launch of his first jeans line. He was immediately recognized for his talent after his first major showing at New York Fashion Week. He was hailed as the new Yves Saint Laurent, and was noted for his clean lines.

Personal life

Klein married Jayne Centre, a textile designer, in 1964.[4] They have a daughter, Marci,[5] who currently works as Talent Producer for NBC's Saturday Night Live. They divorced in 1974.[4] In September 1986 Klein married his assistant, Kelly Rector, in Rome while they were on a buying trip in Italy.[4] She later became a well-known socialite photographer. After separating in 1996, they divorced in April 2006 after 20 years of marriage.[3][6] In 2003, Klein bought an ocean-front estate in Southampton, New York on Long Island[3] and demolished it to build a US$75 million glass-and-concrete mansion.[7] Calvin Klein dated former pornography star Nicholas Gruber before the pair separated in 2012.[8] Klein is a supporter of the U.S. Democratic Party, having given over $250,000 to candidates and PACs since 1980.[9]

Awards

In 1974, Klein designed the tight-fitting signature jeans that would go on to gross $200,000 in their first week of sales.[10] In that same year he also became the first designer to receive outstanding design in men’s and women’s wear from the CFDA award show.[citation needed] In 1983, he was placed on the International Best Dressed List.[11] Also in 1981, 1983 and 1993, he received an award from Councils of Fashion Designs of America.[12][citation needed]

Other

Klein made a cameo appearance in Season 3, Episode 15 ("The Bubble"), of the television series 30 Rock.[13] A fictionalized version of him also appears in Season 4, Episode 13 ("The Pick"), of the television series Seinfeld.

Filmography

  • The Emperor's New Clothes: An All-Star Illustrated Retelling of the Classic Fairy Tale 1998 (voice)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Marsh, Lisa The House of Klein: Fashion, Controversy, and a Business Obsession ISBN 9780471478959 | Publisher: Wiley \ Publication date: 5/4/2004
  2. ^ a b Chevalier, Michel (2012). Luxury Brand Management. Singapore: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-118-17176-9.
  3. ^ a b c d "Calvin j". Citylife.com. Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c Gross, Michael. "The Latest Calvin". Originally New York magazine. Retrieved 14 July 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ "Calvin Klein". Vogue. 2008-04-22. Archived from the original on 18 July 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "AT LAST, A BABY FOR KELLY AT 50". PageSix.com. The New York Post. August 28, 2007. Retrieved 14 July 2014. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ Daily Mail, Billionaire Lane: From fashion designers to real estate tycoons and Wall Street financiers. Meet those who live on the East Coast's most exclusive 5-mile stretch with a private beach and helipad CHARLENE ADAMS, May 23, 2015
  8. ^ Shayna Jacobs and Rocco Parascandola (March 15, 2019). "Model, ex-gay porn star who dated Calvin Klein busted in Manhattan for vicious frying pan assault". New York Daily News. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  9. ^ [1] Archived December 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Morgan, Philippa. "Calvin Klein: How the Fashion Phenomenon Kept His Cool". Vogue. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  11. ^ "Introducing the International Best-Dressed List 2016 Hall of Fame". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  12. ^ CFDA. "CFDA Fashion Awards". Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  13. ^ Odell, Amy (2009-01-23). "Victoria Beckham Now in Russian Vogue; Calvin Klein Spotted at 30 Rock". New York. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
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