Naomi Campbell Aims To “Redefine Sexy” In The New Calvin Klein Campaign

Naomi Campbell is the epitome of a living legend. Over the course of her 30-plus-year career in fashion, she’s achieved milestone after milestone. In August 1988, she became the first Black model to appear on the cover of French Vogue. The following year, she covered American Vogue, marking the first time a Black model had ever graced the front of the magazine’s all-important September issue.

The supermodel has been the face behind campaigns for Versace, Ralph Lauren, Dolce and Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, among countless others. Now, she’s starring in the fall 2019 Calvin Klein Underwear campaign, which introduces a new interpretation of the brand’s famous “My Calvins” slogan. Called #MYCALVINS IRL, the campaign aims to highlight the varying degrees and sides of sexiness.

“[It] celebrates two totally different perspectives of what sexy looks like,” the brand writes in its campaign notes. “The result blurs the line between the public image and private realities of our unapologetic cast and asks the question, ‘How do you do sexy? Perfectly filtered or IRL raw?’”

The #MYCALVINS movement has been a mainstay throughout fashion and pop culture for decades. That longevity is a testament to the brand’s dedication to preserving the campaigns widely recognised advertorial markers, namely its sultry and suggestive black-and-white photos starring supermodels and celebrities alike.

Campbell leads the fall ‘19 campaign cast alongside Bella Hadid, Diplo, Odell Beckham Jr., Beth Ditto, Jacob Elordi, Lay Zhang, and Jelly Lin. Photographer Daniel Jackson shot contrasting images of each model to showcase how their portrayals of sexiness differ between their public and private personas. On the left, expertly composed black-and-white images illustrate what the public sees. On the right, more candid flash-filled photos convey what goes on behind closed doors.

“The #MYCALVINS IRL campaign brings a unique point of view on sexy by capturing both the posed and stripped-back sides,” the brand explains. “The campaign brings to life the playful and pure perspective of sexy; one that encourages self-expression and underscores the idea that sexy is a state of mind.”

New additions to the Calvin Klein Underwear collection are now shoppable online.