Calvin Klein and Designer Veronica Leoni Part Ways

The fashion house and its first female creative director for the Collection line will conclude their partnership.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Fashion

Bold vector editorial illustration showing a pair of tailor shears on a folded swatch of fabric, representing a fashion design transition. — Calvin Klein and creative director Veronica Leoni are ending their partnership following the designer's brief tenure leading the brand's Collection line. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Calvin Klein is ending its partnership with Veronica Leoni, who served as the first female creative director for the Calvin Klein Collection. The brand confirms that Leoni will depart at the conclusion of her current contract.

Why it matters

The departure follows a period of strategic shifts for the brand as it seeks to stabilize its market position amid recent revenue fluctuations. New leadership for the creative direction of the collection will be announced in due course.

Calvin Klein achieved 15.3 million in social engagement during New York Fashion Week, representing a 552 percent increase. This comes as PVH Corp reported a 7 percent revenue decline to $913.3 million, with 4 percent linked to shipment timing.

The players

Veronica Leoni

She is a designer and the first female creative director to serve the Calvin Klein Collection.

Calvin Klein

It is a global fashion brand and subsidiary of PVH Corp that produces the high-end Calvin Klein Collection.

Raf Simons

He is a prominent fashion designer who previously served as the chief creative officer at Calvin Klein.

The details

Leoni joined the brand in May 2024 and led the return of the Calvin Klein Collection to the runway in February 2025. Her exit marks the end of a brief tenure that began after the house had remained without a creative director for the collection since the departure of Raf Simons in 2018.

2018: Raf Simons departed Calvin Klein Collection.
May 2024: Veronica Leoni joined Calvin Klein.
February 2025: Leoni's debut collection show took place.
August 2, 2026: The fiscal second quarter concluded.
September 2026: New York Fashion Week occurred.

Culture Shift

This transition follows the structural precedent set by the 2018 departure of Raf Simons, which significantly altered the brand's runway presence. The brand now navigates a cycle of creative realignment as it balances its commercial performance against the high expectations of the global luxury market.

Consumers may notice shifts in upcoming runway aesthetics and product design as the brand transitions to new creative leadership. These internal changes will ultimately influence the collections and retail assortments available to shoppers in the coming seasons.

The takeaway

Leadership changes at major fashion houses often signal a shift in long-term aesthetic strategy and commercial focus. Investors and consumers should watch for updates on the brand's creative direction to gauge its future market trajectory.