HERE COME THE GIRLS! THE RISE OF CALVIN KLEIN UNDERWEAR FOR WOMEN

Ah, Calvin Klein. An iconic brand, the American Giant have been around since the swinging sixties, and it doesn’t look like their success is about to stop any time soon. In 2015, we saw partnerships with the likes of Justin Bieber and Kendall Jenner, which have both continued in 2016, highly successful viral campaigns, provocative yet engaging advertising, and so much more. They’re definitely ensuring they stay ahead of the game when it comes to their competitors. Interestingly, with the inclusion of celebrities like Bieber and Jenner, they’ve introduced a new customer to their target. Women.

Yes, yes, women have been wearing Calvin Klein for decades you say. We know, we remember Brooke Shields and Kate Moss in the eighties- although admittedly it was more about Marky Mark than Mossy in THOSE infamous campaigns- but there’s been a huge surge in interest from women regarding Calvin Klein underwear. Could it be the introduction of faces like Justin and Kendall, who have huge followings, mainly made up by women? Or perhaps it’s the rise in all things cool and retro, with the nineties having made a comeback over the last few seasons?

Whatever it may be, it’s obvious, apparent and out there. If you search #mycalvins, the hashtag that the brand popularized last year, you’ll see an entire array of women, celebrities and civilians wearing comfy Calvins. Is it possible that the future of women’s underwear is going to be like this? Lingerie is often synonymous with pretty pastels, lovely lace and barely there fabric, so the comfortable cotton, sporty aesthetic and cool undertones of Calvin Klein underwear is a stark difference.

It’s no secret that women have been wearing men’s clothing for years and even vice versa, and perhaps with the way the world is beginning to accept gender and sexual fluidity, it is only a natural course for brands to follow suit. To make clothing, and on this occasion underwear, that appeals and can be worn by both sexes. Obvious differences aside (men and women clearly have different bits in different places!) there is no real need for a design difference when it comes to creating a pair of Calvins.

While the imagery and campaigns, both through advertising and consumer participation have been sexualized to a certain extent, the noticeable difference is the way the model is perceived in the shots. With a man, a shot in Calvins reinforces his fashionable side, and there’s something hyper masculine about the brand within that capacity, but with the women, there’s something even more powerful. It’s a daring, brave and bold statement. Yes, we’re women, and no we don’t care that we’re wearing men’s pants. It’s more of a statement, and that voice is only getting louder.

So what is the future for Calvin Klein underwear? Will it be a phase, or will the popularity of the women’s underwear become as great as the men’s? Who knows, maybe in 20 years time, we’ll be talking about infamous campaigns with cool women, like we do so often with Mark Whalberg, with the man being a secondary reference. They’ve recently collaborated with the Kardashians sisters, which was definitely a smart move, as it was something that got a lot of coverage, not only for using the infamous reality TV stars, but because people were debating whether Kylie Jenner was pregnant in the shots. We’d like to think, perhaps it can be an equal reference, where there is no power struggle and Calvin Klein campaigns unite men and women under one umbrella- for wearing pretty awesome underwear!

Who knows, maybe BANG&STRIKE will end up stocking ‘womens’ underwear too someday! Or, if you’re a lady that doesn’t mind a little extra room down there with the ergonomic fabric of boxer shorts, head to our Calvin Klein underwear section now.