Now, I’m not into fashion and I really didn’t know anything about Klein before I did my research for this episode and I found him to be such a fascinating character-how he, together with Ralph Lauren and Ann Klein, no relation, dragged American fashion out of the shadow of Paris and made it stand on its own two feet.
How he didn’t do it on his own- Calvin Klein the business was always 2 people- Klein and Barry Schwartz, how Klein pioneered designer jeans, how he built his company while partying in Studio 54 and burning the candle at both ends, and how the business was just days from bankruptcy before David Geffen came to the rescue. Also, his marketing genius, he was behind some of the most controversial and influential ads of the 1980’s and 90’s. He makes for a cracking story, enjoy.