Veronica Leoni Has Left Calvin Klein Collection After Raf Simons, another creative direction cut short for the American brand

It was announced today that Veronica Leoni is no longer the creative director of Calvin Klein Collection, and their relationship will come to an end upon the expiry of the current contract. The American brand has nonetheless confirmed that a new creative direction is expected to be announced shortly. Having joined in May 2024, Leoni was meant to relaunch the brand's high-end line following the equally brief attempt to carry out the same operation under Raf Simons, who departed in 2018. Her appointment had also marked a historic moment for the brand, as she was the first woman to lead its creative direction.

The designer had presented her first collection at New York Fashion Week in February 2025, to a debut met with a more or less lukewarm reception. Critics had been more favorable toward the broader collections, but the brand's luxury line found itself at a disadvantage both due to an oversaturated market already crowded with similarly minimalist offerings, and to the brand's perception — today ubiquitous worldwide but not associated with luxury. Something very similar had occurred during the Raf Simons era, although his collections had enjoyed greater success, even as they ran up against the harsh reality of prices too high for the market.

The split comes at a complex time for the PVH Group, owner of Calvin Klein, which in its most recently reported quarter recorded a 7% decline in revenues for the brand. It remains to be seen which creative direction will be chosen to consolidate the relaunch and strengthen Calvin Klein's positioning on the international fashion scene.