Who is Veronica Leoni? Meet Calvin Klein’s new creative director

Calvin Klein Collections made its return to the New York Fashion Week schedule over the weekend, following a six-year hiatus. The AW25 collection played heavily on the label’s minimalist roots, and the show was even attended by the 82-year-old founder himself. The woman behind this was Veronica Leoni, an Italian designer who was appointed as creative director last May.

Calvin Klein has been designer-less since Raf Simons exited the creative director role in late 2018. While Leoni isn’t a household name, her credentials speak for themselves. She has previously held roles at Jil Sander, Phoebe Philo’s Céline, Moncler and The Row. She also founded her own label — Quira — three years ago, and was an LVMH Prize finalist in 2023.

Her appointment at PVH Corp-owned Calvin Klein last May came as a surprise, especially given that she is a woman — the first to ever hold such a position at the brand. The past couple of years have sparked a major diversity debate within the fashion industry, due to creative director appointments at major conglomerates predominantly being given to cis white men. However, Leoni represents a new wave of women — such as Chemena Kamali at Chloé and Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta — designing and catering to what women customers actually want to wear.

Eva Serrano, global brand president at Calvin Klein, said of Leoni’s appointment last May: “It was clear from our first conversations that Veronica’s life’s work had been preparing her for this moment and the opportunity to define a new era for Calvin Klein. I am confident that her purposeful approach to design and work ethic, combined with our shared values, will further enrich our iconic brand and result in a collection that resonates with our consumers around the world.”

So then, what of her debut? Given that her predecessor is now Miuccia Prada’s right-hand man and somewhat of a fashion legend, combined with the fact that Calvin Klein Collections (the higher end line to the main label) was suspended in 2019, it’s safe to say that the expectations were pretty high.

The 63-look co-ed collection was definitely chic — think neutral colour palette, sharp tailoring and elevated basics. In other words, exactly what the Calvin brand brings to mind. However, there were some twists, such as CK One perfume bottle shaped evening bags in gold, silver and tortoiseshell, with delicate chain straps. Metallic discs-cum-sequins also featured all over on floor-length dresses and skirts, styled with chunky men’s brogues and barely-there make-up. There were also pops of colour, such as a draped, pillar-box-red gown, a shrunken plum v-neck jumper and a chocolate, curly-textured coat/dress.

Speaking of outerwear, that’s where the AW25 collection really excelled. From a slate-grey, oversized blazer worn by Kendall Jenner, to caped shoulder black wool coats, this was truly power-dressing at its finest.

In a statement last May, Leoni said: “For decades, Calvin Klein interpreted the idea of bold self-expression, and I am willing to empower it with a strong accent on style and creativity. I’m deeply thankful to Eva Serrano for her vision and trust. My career has been marked by inspiring encounters with some of the most visionary women in fashion and she is one of them. I also want to thank PVH CEO Stefan Larsson for the amazing opportunity to celebrate one of the most influential brands of American fashion.”

Her debut balanced the tricky task of staying respectful to a storied brand’s past, while giving a fresh, future-facing perspective. We hope to see more appointments like hers at top fashion houses.