Calvin Klien and the American Divide

by Olivia Moreau

A hallucinatory farm scene in the New York stock exchange seems like an appropriate way of presenting Calvin Klien/Raf Simons new iteration on the American classic. The aesthetic was purely directed toward the Americana meets Justin Timberlake crowd but it was done in a way that even the most notorious of doubters can get into it. The transitional nature of the clothes from stripped fireman jackets to chiffon gowns were all part of the narrative of American division, and the inevitable divide that separates the prosperous coasts from the struggling underbelly of the midwest. As if you push that point home the visuals (paper popcorn bags) exuded a tense balance between a country divided and a country trying to move forward. It was probably the best show during an underwhelming fashion week.