Calvin Klein
Minimalist American designer house. The thin monochrome wordmark barely changes for decades, so the 'cK' emblem and size tabs do most of the dating.
- Origin
- USA
- Founded
- 1968
- Category
- Designer & Casual
- Documented eras
- 5
How Calvin Klein labels evolved over time. Match the markers below against the tag in hand to place a garment in its era.
1970–1979
Earliest Name-Only Tags
Some of the first tags simply read 'Calvin Klein' in capitals with no logo; most used the thin-font logo, occasionally a rare CK emblem, on black or white.
- Some of the very first tags simply had the name Calvin Klein in capitals and did not even use the logo.
- However, most of them used the thin font logo and in some cases used a rarely seen CK emblem.
- They either used a white or black tag with monochrome writing in most cases.
How to spot it
Thin-font logo (or plain capitals), no size or care detail.
Value signal
Rare; genuine 70s Calvin Klein is a collector find.
1980–1989
Wider White Fabric Tags
The logo held; tags were more often wide white fabric, and country-of-production wording began to appear.
- The logo didn’t change over this decade.
- It was more common that the tags would be wider white fabric.
- A limited edition tag was also in circulation at this time as can be seen on the far left.
- They also started to include information about the country of production.
How to spot it
Wide white fabric tags that name the country of make.
Value signal
Desirable; 80s CK has a steady following.
1990–1999
cK Emblem & Size Tab
Early-90s tags reused the rectangular-dot logo (hard to tell from late-80s); the cK emblem and a size tab help, and the new logo phased in mid-decade.
- Early 1990s tags used the older logo with the rectangular dots on the i’s and are difficult to distinguish from some of the late 1980s tags.
- But some of them can be spotted as the 1990s ones sometimes have the cK emblem.
- They also include a size tab.
- The new logo started to become adopted on tags, but this was over a transitional period into the mid 1990s.
How to spot it
A cK emblem and a size tab alongside the wordmark.
Value signal
Solid 90s vintage; value tracks the garment.
2000–2009
'Calvin Klein Jeans' Gold Tags
Tags carried the 'Calvin Klein Jeans' wordmark and the cK emblem — cleaner than the 90s, often gold, fully sewn in with a size tab.
- The tags from the 2000s included both the text logo of ‘Calvin Klein Jeans’, instead of just ‘Calvin Klein’, and the cK emblem.
- The design is similar to the 1990s one but is cleaner and nearly always included a size tab.
- It is often a golden colour and completely sewn in.
How to spot it
A gold sewn-in tag reading 'Calvin Klein Jeans'.
Value signal
Common; modest resale.
2010–2019
Loop Tags & Printed Necks
Loop tags and printed tags became common; the updated logo (usually round-dot, sometimes the new capitalised mark) with sizing always present.
- Tabs and loop tags that weren’t completely sewn in started becoming more commonplace, with some tags even being printed.
- They use the updated logo, in most cases with a circular dot, but some are using the new capitalised logo as well.
- Size information is nearly always included on modern tags.
How to spot it
Loop or printed tags with the updated logo.
Value signal
Modern; priced on the piece.