There's a precise moment when underwear stopped being something to hide and became something to show off. That moment has a name: Calvin Klein. In 1982, a simple waistband with a printed logo forever changed how the world thinks about underwear. This is the story of how it happened.
1982: The Year Everything Changed
Before Calvin Klein, men's underwear was an anonymous product. White, sold in packs of three, bought by wives or mothers. Nobody thought about it, nobody talked about it. Then Calvin Klein made a half-million-dollar gamble: he called photographer Bruce Weber, chose Olympic pole vaulter Tom Hintnaus as the face of the campaign, and placed a giant billboard in Times Square. A man in his underwear, in black and white, with that visible waistband. The result? Bloomingdale's New York alone sold $65,000 worth of briefs in the first two weeks. By the end of the year, Calvin Klein's underwear line had sales of $70 million.
The idea was simple yet revolutionary: take a basic garment, give it a more refined cut, print a logo on the waistband, and transform it into a desirable object. Underwear was no longer just functional. It was fashion.
Marky Mark and Kate Moss: Underwear Becomes Pop Culture
If 1982 was the beginning, 1992 was the explosion. Calvin Klein was going through a serious financial crisis, on the verge of bankruptcy. The relaunch strategy? Go all-in on underwear and fragrances, with a campaign that would go down in history.
Mark Wahlberg, then known as "Marky Mark" of the Funky Bunch, became the face (and body) of the campaign photographed by Herb Ritts. Muscles, a confident gaze, and that CK waistband always in the foreground. Alongside him, a very young Kate Moss. Together they created an aesthetic that defined an entire decade: the sexy black and white minimalism that became synonymous with Calvin Klein.
In the same year, John Varvatos, then head of CK menswear, invented the boxer brief: a hybrid of boxer shorts and briefs that was dubbed "one of the greatest apparel revolutions of the century." A garment we now take for granted, but which simply didn't exist before.
The cultural impact was such that even Seinfeld dedicated an episode to parodying the brand, with Kramer ending up modeling underwear for Calvin Klein.
The Waistband: From Technical Detail to Style Icon
If there's one single element that made Calvin Klein recognizable worldwide, it's the waistband with the logo. Before 1982, the waistband was a functional component. Calvin Klein transformed it into a fashion accessory, designed to be seen.
Showing off the CK waistband peeking out from low-rise jeans became a universal style code. It wasn't just underwear: it was a sign of belonging, a way to say something about oneself without speaking. The CK waistband became the textile equivalent of a tattoo, an intimate detail that communicates identity and taste.
This concept influenced the entire industry. After Calvin Klein, every underwear brand began to treat the waistband as a design element. But the original remains unmistakable.
#MyCalvins: When Underwear Meets Social Media
In 2014, Calvin Klein proved its ability to read the times with the #MyCalvins campaign, which redefined underwear marketing in the digital age. The formula was ingenious in its simplicity: celebrities and influencers photographed in their Calvin Kleins with the phrase "I ___ in #MyCalvins."
Justin Bieber, Kendall Jenner, Kendrick Lamar, FKA Twigs: the hottest names of the moment posed for the campaign and shared the images on their social profiles. In just four months, the hashtag generated over 4.5 million interactions. Calvin Klein gained 3.6 million new followers on social media. But the real revolution was another: thousands of ordinary people started posting their own photos in CK underwear, creating a spontaneous movement that no traditional advertising campaign could have generated.
The campaign continued to evolve over the years, with editions like "I Speak My Truth in #MyCalvins" in 2019 featuring Bella Hadid and Billie Eilish, and "DEAL WITH IT" in 2020 with SZA and Hunter Schafer. Each iteration confirmed the brand's ability to remain relevant by speaking the language of new generations.
Why Calvin Klein is Still the King of Underwear
More than forty years have passed since that first billboard in Times Square, and Calvin Klein continues to dominate the underwear market. The reason is simple: CK doesn't just sell underwear. It sells an attitude, an aesthetic, a way of living in one's body with confidence.
CK underwear works because it combines three elements rarely found together: minimalist design that never goes out of style, quality materials that feel good on the body, and that logo on the waistband that has become part of global pop culture. Whether you choose classic briefs, a sporty bralette, or a thong set, you're wearing a piece of fashion history.
Calvin Klein on Gagliotta Calzature
On Gagliotta Calzature you'll find a selection of Calvin Klein underwear for men and women. For her: bralettes, thongs, briefs in packs of 3, bike shorts, leggings, and crop t-shirts. For him: briefs in packs of 3 and multicolored packs. The iconic CK waistband, soft materials, and comfortable fit, with fast shipping throughout Italy and cash on delivery.