Raf Simons is giving Calvin Klein Collection's flagship store an "immersive" makeover. The Belgian designer was tapped as the chief creative officer at the American brand last August, and has quickly got to work in putting his own stamp on the label, starting with his fall 2017 collections.
Now, Simons is revamping Klein's Madison Avenue boutique, and has kicked off renovations by inviting artist and collaborator Sterling Ruby to get creative with the interiors.
"I wanted the store to generate a very immediate physical experience that could as well be intimately connected to the collections," Simons said of the makeover, according to Business of Fashion. "It is also a continuation of the language I am creating with Sterling for Calvin Klein's visible and physical identity."
Raf Simons unveils new Calvin Klein 205W39NYC campaign
Los Angeles-based Ruby, a multimedia artist known for his installations, has filled the bright yellow space, meant to signify caution tape and traffic signs, with scaffolding and groupings of objects. In addition, he has installed fringed garments, textiles with American flag-style decoration, vintage quilts, bundles of wool and collections of glass vases.
"I'm taking the Calvin Klein flagship store from minimal to maximal; my design should be seen as a marker to celebrate the future of the brand," explained Ruby. "I wanted the store to glow from within, representing a new day for Calvin Klein."
Klein's three-floor boutique, originally designed by architect John Pawson, will undergo a further renovation in the near future.
As well as clothing and accessories, the Madison Avenue store is also stocked with Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear 205W39NYC.