Calvin Klein and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts team up on long-term partnership
Calvin Klein looks set to incorporate the work of cult artist Andy Warhol into its aesthetic, after signing a multi-year partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
The fashion house will be granted "unprecedented access to the late artist's works, including many that have not yet been published," according to the clothing and lifestyle powerhouse, which will in turn help to financially support the foundation's distribution of contemporary visual art grants. The partnership will run through 2020.
"I've come to realize that Warhol's genius goes much deeper than cheerful Campbell's Soup paintings," said Raf Simons, Chief Creative Officer at Calvin Klein, Inc, in a statement. "He captured all sides of the American experience, including sometimes its darker sides. Warhol's art tells more truths about this country than you can find almost anywhere else."
Michael Dayton Hermann, Director of Licensing at the Warhol Foundation, added: "We are proud that Raf's visionary work at Calvin Klein will unabashedly embrace all facets of Warhol's work and generously contribute to the foundation's endowment."
The first signs of the collaboration were hinted at back in September at Simons' Spring 2018 Calvin Klein 205W39NYC runway show, which featured a series of Warhol artworks as placement screen prints. A campaign released in September also included a series of billboards showcasing images incorporating Warhol works. According to Steve Shiffman, Chief Executive Officer, Calvin Klein, the partnership will be visible "across multiple levels of the Calvin Klein consumer experience" in the future.
Calvin Klein is not the only fashion brand to have drawn inspiration from the legendary artist. Sportswear label Billabong has also teamed up with the foundation in the past on a limited-edition 'Warhol Surf' line, the second installment of which was released back in August.
Founded in 1987, The Andy Warhol Foundation has distributed over $275 million in grants supporting the creation, presentation and documentation of contemporary visual arts, focusing particularly on experimental, under-recognized or challenging work.
