“It’s Quintessential New York”: Calvin Klein Collection FW25

FRIDAY 12:43 PM FEBRUARY 7, 2025 MIDTOWN

This morning, Calvin Klein Collection returned to the runway at NYFW with a lineup of minimal looks designed by their first-ever female creative director, Veronica Leoni. The show was staged at the original Calvin Klein HQ, evoking Carolyn Basset-era nostalgia with sleek, all-American looks. Of course, Mel and Dara were on hand to do some on-the-ground reporting, gathering hot takes from fashion luminaries including Law Roach, Louisa Jacobson, Lynette Nylander, Guinevere Van Seenus, and more. They even got a moment with Mel’s personal hero, the legend Calvin Klein himself.

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LOUISA JACOBSEN: Veronica is a bad bitch. The show was gorgeous. We love seeing a woman in a top fashion job.

JEREMY O’HARRIS: It was very clean. 

JACOBSEN: I like the blanket as dress. 

DARA: And Loli [Bahia] closed. I really gagged for that. What did you think, Mel?

MEL OTTENBERG: I loved it. I just really love Calvin Klein. I’m looking at him right now. 

DARA: I’m too starstruck. 

OTTENBERG: There’s no one I’m more starstruck by, in the whole world.

DARA: Have you met Calvin Klein before? 

OTTENBERG: He came to an event that we had—I’m going to go get in line to talk to Calvin Klein. 

DARA: You should go kiss the ring. He’s the all-time of all time. 

OTTENBERG: You think my favorite is Yves Saint Laurent? No shade. 

DARA: Calvin is your king. Yves, I’m so sorry. 

JACOBSEN: Are we still discussing the show?

DARA: I love your coat.

JACOBSEN: Thank you so much. It’s Calvin Klein. 

DARA: Oh it is? The shoulder is incredible. 

JACOBSEN: Calvin Klein, when he first started his brand in the ’60s, he made six coats and two dresses and wheeled them around all of New York. 

DARA: This coat is pretty fab. I’m taking a picture. Hi, Law. How are you? What did you think of the show?

LAW ROACH: I think that we missed him. We missed it. It’s quintessential New York. Welcome back! 

DARA: What did you think of the show? 

ANONYMOUS PHOTOGRAPHER: Great, really gorgeous. 

DARA: How should I credit you? As an anonymous photographer luminary?

ANONYMOUS PHOTOGRAPHER: I was backstage. I didn’t see the show. [Laughs]

DARA: Lying photographer luminary.

ANONYMOUS PHOTOGRAPHER: It was good. I loved it. 

DARA: Jordan, hi, how are you? What did you think about Calvin Klein? 

JORDAN HEMINGWAY: It was sensual. “Cool” is a subjective word, but I was like, “This is cool.”

HEMINGWAY: I’m always in leather. 

OTTENBERG: We should’ve gone and talked to Calvin Klein, but I couldn’t handle it.

DARA: Let’s be brave. I’m feeling brave because I’m fully incognito. 

ELIZABETH SALTZMAN: Hi. 

OTTENBERG: I was just saying how Calvin Klein is my favorite of all time. 

SALTZMAN: Well, because he’s so American.

DARA: The most American. 

SALTZMAN: He must’ve been a big influence, as a young person, growing up.

OTTENBERG: It’s really the American dream. I’m a minimalist. 

DARA: You could’ve walked that runway. That, I would’ve loved to see. Some fashion personalities would’ve been nice. 

OTTENBERG: Who styled the show?

DARA: Let’s go find out backstage. Mel’s going to meet his hero. 

OTTENBERG: I’m about to be introduced to Calvin Klein. 

DARA: There he is. 

OTTENBERG: Hi, how are you? 

CALVIN KLEIN: It’s so nice to see you again. I’m good. 

DARA: There we go. Photo? You’re giving the same storyline with the hair. No one can top that, actually. 

OTTENBERG: American dream. 

LYNETTE NYLANDER: This is the only thing that matters, actually. It’s crazy that he’s even here.

DARA: What did you think of this show? 

NYLANDER: It’s gorgeous, naturally. Mel, you’re a minimalist but you have a uniform and it’s a thing. Dara, you and I speak the same language. 

DARA: I’m a minimal maximalist, I would say. 

OTTENBERG: Yeah, that’s true. 

NYLANDER: Are we really having a serious conversation with your yellow hair? [Laughs]

DARA: The impact of simplicity. 

NYLANDER: I’ll give you that. 

DARA: We need variety. Well, at Calvin Klein, this is what I want to see. I want a burger from McDonald’s and I want minimal clothes from Calvin Klein. 

NYLANDER: There’s a reason why we all drink Coca-Cola. It is what it is. It says what it does. But in general, with fashion, I am bored. 

DARA: Yeah. Let’s go backstage. We have to follow Calvin and see some clothes. 

OTTENBERG: I’m having lunch with Harrison, The Dare, later. 

DARA: Le Dare. Now we’re going down a mysterious concrete hallway and we are now backstage. My view is Calvin Klein congratulating the new designer of Calvin Klein Collection. Incredible, but I want to see the clothes. 

LYAS: Do you think we can get Calvin Klein to take a selfie? 

DARA: That’s on you, babe. I would never ask Calvin Klein to take a selfie. But I love that.

LYAS: [Laughs]

DARA: That is the hubris of youth. 

OTTENBERG: What was your first Calvin Klein job?

GUINEVERE VAN SEENUS: I think it was 1995 and I was in Europe and I had been going to castings for decades and never really getting anything and then they were like “Calvin wants you on the Concorde.” I thought they were joking. I went on the Concorde for the show. That was my one and only time on the Concorde. 

OTTENBERG: Thirty years ago right now. That’s insane. And then you walked the show? 

VAN SEENUS: Yeah. And some campaigns. 

OTTENBERG: Was the show always right here? Or was it in the tents? 

VAN SEENUS: I was so young. I don’t remember. I just remember being backstage. I don’t know how I got there.