Raf Simons Exits Calvin Klein *Update* Calvin Klein to Exit Collection Business Entirely

[jeanclaude]

So now it would only be fragances, underwear, jeans and t-shirts...they are going to cheapen the image of the brand following that path...

 

[Lola701]

Raf came and destroyed everything. Good luck for finding someone who will hire you at the helm of his business.

It’s a pity. A great name, a great potential but commerce is commerce.

 

[perfect blue]

Well damn.

 

[Vitamine W]

Wow, their pockets must be empty after that debacle. Historically Raf will be held responsible I assume. Ouch.

 

[ghostwriter10549]

The system is soooo tired. Why hire a CD to do 4 collections by year, deal with all the drama, if you can just make underwear somewhere in Asia with a very low price point and put that underwear on some boring American singer twink, post on IG and profits MILLIONS??

Its ridiculous and ugly, but that is the true.

 

[SophiaVB]

Even if I haven't been a fan of anything there in a long time, it's a sad day for American design that CK is closing. Putting the right person at the brand could have been an easy comeback.

 

[softgrey]

finally---
something that makes sense...

I'm not even sad about this...
only sorry for all the people who will lose their jobs...

 

[helmutnotdead]

Good luck to Raf trying to get another house.

 

[Sensation]

Yikes, I didn't realize things were that bad...

 

[Marc10]

Pretty stupid the blaming on Raf in here. His tenure wasn't a massive hit but it wasn't close to a crisis either. Even so they could've just hired someone new. This is all on the awful CK management who handled everything soo poorly, and now wants the brand to sustain on Instagram, millennials and underwear. Their vision for CK is so chaotic, they don't know what they're doing. I see them changing their mind on this very soon tho (hopefully), they gotta realize what a colossal bad decision this is...

 

[donyan]

I’m sad about this in so many ways . The wasted opportunity and talent, people losing their jobs , the bad reputation for any Designer who has a more creative approach etc . I feel sorry for Raf too but if there’s one thing I feel is at the root of a big part of this mess is Raf’s sense of entitlement and lack of humility. Judging from his interviews and work at Dior he seemed to have started believing his own hype and not listening to those around him . Or maybe he started surrounding himself with the wrong people. It’s just sad all around .

 

[Benn98]

Calvin Klein, as we know it, is now a thing of the past. It's game over for the brand. No amount of marketing or 'celebrity hires' will be able to keep them relevant in the fashion scope, and d. What gave a pair of boxers prestige was the fact that Calvin Klein was regarded as a hf brand. Take that away and you're basically left with Gap.

Oddly enough the brand still continues to take out ad pages for the bread and butter range in magazines as we speak, despite saying they would no longer invest in print. Maybe they're hoping that will be enough to keep the name on the forefront of fashion consumers, but I doubt it. You only need to see how Renzo Rosso is struggling with Diesel to see that's not a sustainable idea.

What I think could work for them going forward is occasional collabs with fashion designers á la Helmut Lang. Maybe!

 

[Lola701]

Pretty stupid the blaming on Raf in here. His tenure wasn't a massive hit but it wasn't close to a crisis either. Even so they could've just hired someone new. This is all on the awful CK management who handled everything soo poorly, and now wants the brand to sustain on Instagram, millennials and underwear. Their vision for CK is so chaotic, they don't know what they're doing. I see them changing their mind on this very soon tho (hopefully), they gotta realize what a colossal bad decision this is...

It’s not a « blaming on Raf ».
I’m sorry but you’re a celebrated designer. You wants a big salary, come with your team and you have the responsibility to oversee all the lines of a mega brand (everything you’ve always wanted). On top of that, big investments are made to reorganize the flagship store ON your taste.
It’s obvious that the Suits expect massive or at least, instant hit... Go ask to Slimane!

If after 2 seasons you’re loosing money after all of that, it’s the Creative Director’s fault!

If tomorrow, Celine is a flop, it will be Hedi’s fault...

Sometimes, designers needs to do their job only ( a la Karl Lagerfeld, Kim Jones...etc). You create the clothes And you let the marketing people handle their thing.
Not everybody is a Tom Ford. That requires a bit of pragmatism.

 

[chanelh]

a good advice, don't invest too much on a person who cries when he just gets his job done.

 

[tatouejeremie]

i'm surprised that ceo hasn't been fired yet

 

[dodencebt]

I feel torn on who to blame for this but Raf certainly isn't off the hook here. Correct me if I'm wrong but the reports said that the business had barely seen returns on their massive investment in Raf's vision for the collection in these two years, which ultimately trickled down to other, lower end items that also proved to be unpopular with the general public (and that's what Calvin Klein's lower end lines are all about) + the fit was mainly awful and a lot of items were being returned constantly. I mean, Raf was the one who wanted control over the entire brand, talking about unifying everything under one big umbrella and ruling an empire when his design sense is clearly not suitable for both the fashion forward and the regular customers. His smugness contributed a great deal to what just happened because he believed he could do it all.

 

[GivenchyAddict]

They try to limit the damages for the big mistake they did by hiring Queen Raf. Never CK has given that much power and money to one person to lose that much. So yes the decisions they take now are regarding Raf's actions ( the new stores, his whole crew (Olivier Rizzo, Willy Vanderperre, Luella Hillier, Mathieu Blazy, Peter Millier, Raf's boyfriend - they are not cheap, a lot of avantages given, etc)) .

I put both CK (for being so stupid) and Raf (for being so full on himself).

This news now allows me to not give a f*ck about their full look policy. I will mix the pieces with some others

 

[Benn98]

You only need to see how Renzo Rosso is struggling with Diesel to see that's not a sustainable idea

Speaking of..........

Diesel USA Bankruptcy: What Does It Mean For The Jeans Retailer?

 

[RMDV]

Speaking of..........

Diesel USA Bankruptcy: What Does It Mean For The Jeans Retailer?

#BeAFollower.... like WHAT?! lol

 

[Lax89]

I feel bad for all the people that have been let go of. I wonder if they will sue the company for damages.