12 September 2026 |
Veronica Leoni continues to explore minimalism through an American lens.
A year and a half into her tenure as creative director at Calvin Klein and Veronica Leoni continues to explore what minimalism means for a brand steeped in American fashion history. And spring 2027 is an extension of that musing. Set at Terminal Warehouse, it was an expansive industrial space in Chelsea with a runway that wound through multiple rooms and featured three floor sculptures by Walter De Maria. While the setup felt larger, Leoni decided to narrow her focus this season, dropping menswear from the collection in this outing, choosing instead to highlight womenswear. “Calvin drew from that and turned it toward the body. I turn it toward the woman inside it. My minimalism begins there, in the relation between design and a body, with nothing in between. Take everything away. What is left is desire,” she says in the show notes.
Desire takes shape from the opening, with a sleek black column dress with draping at the back — the type of piece you could see on a modern day Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. CBK, while not explicitly stated, felt like a running theme throughout, which is natural given the impact American Love Story has had on pop culture this year. Looks were accented with sleek silver headbands, a modern update on the classic tortoiseshell accessory favored by the public figure. Worn with everything from slip dresses to pencil skirts to suiting, it felt like the right finishing touch that didn’t distract from the clothes itself.
From the initial black dress, the clothes transitioned into separates ranging from turtlenecks worn with slim pencil skirts to slouchy jeans and shirts topped off with contrasting jackets to tonal ensembles consisting of tees and trousers. Though the palette stuck to neutrals: white, khaki, black, and gray, there are also moments of saturation in the form of scarlet, yellow, royal blue, cherry, and a check that’s inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe’s wardrobe. Evening was the true standout, from crop tops worn with matching skirts that had pockets to a gauzy tee and ivory skirt combo that is sure to be a hit among the quiet luxury lovers. A textured plunging creation was reminiscent of a furry design during Raf Simon’s era at the brand while t-shirt dresses cut in the bias felt like pure Calvin himself, reimagined
And speaking of evening and event dressing, the front row was, as always, packed to the brim. Rosalia, who also pulled double duty hosting the brand’s Euphoria fragrance launch later that evening, made an appearance in a black dress with matching kerchief alongside fellow faces Sadie Sink and Tate McCrae. Joining them included Teyana Taylor, Katie Holmes, Solange, Pamela Anderson, and Gemma Chan. And as always, the Asian celebrity contingent caused a stir, with a sizable screaming crowd gathered for Thai-Hong Kong actress Ling Ling Kwong, though there were quite a few cheers for U.S. Open darling Alex Eala, including some gushing praise from Anna Wintour herself. Suffice to say Calvin Klein knows how to fill a room.
