Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein is a global fashion and lifestyle brand offering underwear, apparel, denim, fragrances, home, and kids products to mass-market consumers across 70+ countries, operating under PVH Corp.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Calvin Klein firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Calvin Klein
- Legal name
- Calvin Klein, Inc.
- Website
- https://calvinklein.us
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Calvin Klein is a global fashion and lifestyle brand offering underwear, apparel, denim, fragrances, home, and kids products to mass-market consumers across 70+ countries, operating under PVH Corp.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Calvin Klein industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Apparel and Lifestyle Fashion
- NAICS
- Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811), Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458)
- SIC
- Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Women's, Misses', Children's & Infants' Undergarments (2340), Retail-Family Clothing Stores (5651)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Denim & Casualwear Brands (CRAAAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Denim & Casualwear Specialty Retail (CRAAABAN), Men’s Apparel Retail (CRAAABAC), Luxury Fashion (Ready-to-Wear & Couture) (CRAKAFAE)
Keywords
Where Calvin Klein is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Calvin Klein business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Apparel and Accessories Sales: Direct sales of Calvin Klein branded apparel, underwear, denim, and accessories through owned e-commerce (calvinklein.com) and retail stores globally.
- Fragrance Licensing (Coty Inc.): Calvin Klein Fragrances, a division of Coty Inc., produces and sells fragrances under the Calvin Klein brand through licensing agreement. Products include euphoria collection, magnetic elixir, bold elixir, and solar elixir.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Basic apparel and underwear items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Jung Kook CKJK Capsule Collection |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Multipack bundles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fragrance products |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Calvin Klein product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Calvin Klein is a global lifestyle brand that designs, manufactures, and sells apparel and accessories across multiple categories including signature underwear, denim, men's and women's ready-to-wear, activewear, swimwear, kids' clothing, home goods, and licensed fragrances. The brand operates a vertically integrated model spanning product design, global retail (flagship stores and e-commerce), wholesale distribution, and licensed product extensions.
Product overview
Calvin Klein is a global fashion and lifestyle brand offering a diversified portfolio of products centered around its iconic underwear collection as the core offering, complemented by men's and women's apparel spanning denim, ready-to-wear, activewear, swimwear, and outerwear. The brand operates under a multi-line structure including the premium Calvin Klein Collection (runway/luxury line), mainline contemporary offerings, and the licensed Calvin Klein Fragrances division managed by Coty Inc. Additional extensions include home goods (bedding and bath) and children's apparel. The underwear division represents the brand's heritage category, featuring multiple technology platforms including Icon Cotton Stretch (with Infinity Bond waistband), Cotton Classics (100% cotton since 1981), Ultra Soft Modal, and performance-focused Intense Power (microfiber with moisture-wicking). The product strategy emphasizes core basics and denim as foundational categories, supplemented by seasonal fashion pieces and capsule collaborations with global brand ambassadors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Calvin Klein Collection: The brand's premium designer collection featuring high-end fashion and runway pieces
- Calvin Klein Underwear
- CK Fragrances
Products and services
- Calvin Klein Underwear
Quantifiable outcome
- 850% increase in Google searches for 'Calvin Klein 90s' following FX's Love Story series premiere
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Calvin Klein
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Calvin Klein technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Calvin Klein partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor, major and regional.
- OpenAIcorePVH Corp. announced collaboration with OpenAI to co-create custom AI capabilities supporting product and design, demand planning, inventory optimization, and consumer engagement. The partnership integrates ChatGPT Enterprise across product, marketing, supply chain, and retail functions, aiming to accelerate PVH's data-driven operating model for Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands.
- IncreffcoreIndian retail-tech company Increff partnered with Calvin Klein (alongside Tommy Hilfiger) to enable 2-24 hour hyperlocal delivery across India through its Increff Grid dark-store fulfillment network. The partnership reduces logistics costs by up to 30% and addresses India's quick commerce segment growing at 45% annually.
- Coty Inc. (Fragrance Licensing)coreCalvin Klein Fragrances is a division of Coty Inc., producing and selling fragrances including the euphoria elixirs collection (magnetic elixir, bold elixir, solar elixir) and other scents. ROSALÍA serves as face of new euphoria elixirs launching March 2026. Products priced $36-$129 and available at Macy's, Ulta, and Amazon.
- G-III Apparel GroupminorG-III Apparel Group previously held Calvin Klein licensing agreements for women's apparel, though the agreements were ended in fiscal 2026, with G-III citing exposure to Saks bankruptcy and tariff impacts from China and Vietnam sourcing.
- Bad BunnymajorPuerto Rican artist Bad Bunny partnered on underwear campaign generating $8 million in just 48 hours and $8.4 million in total media impact value. His 2026 Super Bowl LX halftime performance produced $170 million in media value, demonstrating the significant marketing value of celebrity partnerships for the brand.
- Jennie Kim (Blackpink)majorBlackpink member Jennie Kim serves as fashion collaborator with Calvin Klein, working on campaigns and representing the brand's strategy to connect with younger Asian consumers through K-pop cultural influence.
- Cha EunwooregionalK-pop star used for Asia-Pacific expansion with Calvin Klein, representing brand's regional marketing strategy leveraging local celebrity appeal.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Calvin Klein competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Levi Strauss & Co. Heritage American denim and casualwear brand with overlapping core categories (denim, underwear-adjacent basics, casualwear) and similar wholesale plus DTC distribution through calvinklein.com-equivalent channels.
- Hugo Boss: Premium global apparel/lifestyle brand with strong menswear, denim, and licensing businesses. Comparable premium positioning, international footprint, and DTC + wholesale omnichannel strategy.
- Ralph Lauren: Iconic American premium lifestyle brand with comparable heritage, multi-category apparel/home/accessories portfolio, and global DTC + wholesale distribution. Most direct comparable on brand-equity and premium-casualwear positioning.
- Michael Kors: Accessible-luxury American lifestyle brand with similar product breadth (apparel, accessories, fragrance licensing) and overlapping premium-contemporary pricing tier, especially in women's apparel and denim.
- Tommy Hilfiger: Sister brand under PVH Corp., sharing the same parent, distribution infrastructure, and global lifestyle brand positioning. Closest structural peer given shared DTC e-commerce, flagship retail, and licensed fragrances model.
- DKNY: American contemporary apparel and accessories brand with overlapping urban, minimalist design language and similar mid-market premium positioning targeting the same millennial/Gen Z consumer segments.
- Victoria's Secret: Direct peer on Calvin Klein's largest single category (underwear/intimates) with overlapping marketing aesthetic, celebrity/ambassador-driven campaigns, and similar DTC + wholesale distribution mix.
- Guess: American contemporary denim and lifestyle brand with comparable mass-premium price points, sex-driven marketing aesthetic, global wholesale + DTC footprint, and heritage 1980s brand DNA.
Broad incumbents
- Giorgio Armani: Established global luxury house operating a multi-brand portfolio across couture, RTW, accessories, and fragrance — comparable to Calvin Klein Collection at the premium tier but operating at higher price points and broader category breadth.
- Versace: Global luxury fashion house with comparable lifestyle brand positioning, celebrity-driven marketing, fragrance licensing (via Euroitalia), and a parent-company strategic structure that informs valuation comparables.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Calvin Klein social profiles
Digital presenceCalvin Klein financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Calvin Klein leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Calvin Klein funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Calvin Klein M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Calvin Klein
What does Calvin Klein do?
Calvin Klein is a global lifestyle brand that designs, manufactures, and sells apparel and accessories across multiple categories including signature underwear, denim, men's and women's ready-to-wear, activewear, swimwear, kids' clothing, home goods, and licensed fragrances. The brand operates a vertically integrated model spanning product design, global retail (flagship stores and e-commerce), wholesale distribution, and licensed product extensions.
Is Calvin Klein a public or private company?
Calvin Klein is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Calvin Klein founded?
Calvin Klein was founded in 1968. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Calvin Klein based?
Calvin Klein is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Calvin Klein make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Apparel and Accessories Sales are the primary driver. The others are fragrance Licensing (Coty Inc.).
Who are Calvin Klein's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Levi Strauss & Co., Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY, Victoria's Secret and Guess. Broad incumbents are Giorgio Armani and Versace.
Does Calvin Klein have an API?
No public API is recorded for Calvin Klein.
What industry is Calvin Klein in?
Calvin Klein's product category is Apparel and Lifestyle Fashion. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAAAE, Denim & Casualwear Brands, with a secondary code of CRAAABAN, Denim & Casualwear Specialty Retail. Its NAICS code is 45811 and its SIC code is 5600.