Calvin Klein has revisited the controversial 1980s advertising campaign featuring Brooke Shields, a collaboration that sparked significant debate at the time. In a recent episode of Vogue’s podcast, The Run-Through, Klein, now 83, reflected on the campaign that positioned the then-15-year-old actress and model at the forefront of one of fashion history’s most talked-about promotions.
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Shields was just entering her teenage years when she starred in the campaign, which included a memorable commercial where she posed in denim whilst declaring, “Do you know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” The ads presented Shields in a variety of provocative poses, leading to widespread discussions about their appropriateness given her age.
Klein acknowledged in the podcast that the creative team had a clear vision for the campaign. He credited writer Doon Arbus and director Dick Avedon for crafting the voice and aesthetic of the ads. “It always started with the writing,” Klein noted, affirming that they meticulously planned each detail to create the desired image for the denim line. “Every detail was mapped out,” he stated with a touch of nostalgia, emphasising the collaborative effort behind the project.
Despite their premeditated approach, Klein admitted he did not foresee the substantial backlash that the ads provoked. He reminisced, “What we didn’t know was what the reaction would be to what we were doing,” highlighting the unexpected intensity of public scrutiny. The advertising campaign, which sought to combine youthful exuberance with a hint of rebellion, ultimately generated an intense reaction. “People got crazy,” Klein remarked. “It sold denim like mad because that created the image that we wanted for the denim at that time — of a little bad.”
Interestingly, Klein revealed that even today, he and Shields often reflect on the profound impact of those advertisements. He shared, “Brooke — I run into her all the time — she says she’s still remembered more for those commercials than anything else she’s done, which to me is a riot.” Such comments illustrate how deeply embedded those campaign images became in popular culture and Shields’s career.
At the time of the campaign, Shields had just found success in films like The Blue Lagoon and Pretty Baby. In an interview with Vogue in 2021, she admitted to being unaware of the double entendre within the famous tagline. “I was naive, I didn’t think anything of it,” she revealed, expressing her surprise at the assumptions made about her understanding of the ad’s implications. “If they had intended on the double entendre, they didn’t explain it to me,” she added, underscoring her innocence during the campaign’s peak.
In later years, Shields has candidly discussed how being sexualised at such a young age affected her life. In the newly released two-part Hulu documentary, Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, she remarked, “I’m amazed that I survived any of it,” hinting at the significant pressures she faced navigating fame and media scrutiny.
The podcast also touched upon Shields and Klein’s relationship beyond the ads, including their frequent appearances at the iconic New York nightclub, Studio 54. Discussing the era, Klein reminisced, “There were certain cities in the world at certain times that became the place to be — New York in the ’70s was like that.” He described the nightclub as a magnetic hub of creativity and freedom, where visitors would bypass hotels to experience the vibrant nightlife.
Klein reflected on the remarkable cultural environment of the time, stating, “It was a period of freedom, every kind of freedom. And it’s never really been the same again.” This statement encapsulates the spirit of the late 20th century—a time when fashion, celebrity, and youthful rebellion converged to create unforgettable moments in contemporary culture.
As discussions continue around the impact of the Calvin Klein campaign, it is evident that both Shields and Klein have left an indelible mark on the advertising world, as well as on each other’s lives. The legacy of this collaboration remains a prominent topic, resonating with audiences more than three decades after its inception.