캘빈 클라인 이미지와 패션의 담론

Background Calvin Klein is a representative global fashion brand that symbolizes the American style. Especially, Calvin Klein also has been known as a brand that utilizes fashion images very effectively. This study chronologically analyzes Calvin Klein's various fashion images that cause controversial social issues and then grasps their perspective of discourses and tendency. Methods The Methodology used in this paper is as follows. First, it was very essential to define the fundamental concept and intention about fashion and discourse. Second, there were collecting and analyzing Calvin Klein's historical images and news articles that generate controversy. The range of collected images in this study is started from 1980, when Calvin Klein launched its jean's line and provoked social controversies. Third, this paper analyzes recent interesting images that are able to spread more easily because of the development of the online network. The whole story of arguments aroused by the images should be introduced for a deep understanding. Results There are three periods that are clearly divided in terms of the impacts. The first period is the 1980s and 1990s. In this period, Calvin Klein started planning its fashion images and they became impressive symbols. The second period is the 2000s, the age of distinct sexual code. The third period is the 2010s when there was the greatest number of social issues. The typical tendency of the fashion discourses about Calvin Klein can be defined in the following four categories: discourses on the subject and meaning of gaze; chronological arguments on idealization of a human body; issues dealing with gender-equality and diversity; and a discussion on the evolution of communication. Conclusions Fashion inherently refuses to follow a precedent and provokes controversy by pursuing a new challenge and goal of this age. In this context, fashion images planned and developed by Calvin Klein are the mirror of the age in itself. In addition, they have expressed passion and stimulated the public by a shower of disputes. Naturally, many fashion images will raise various issues that reflect our age and be objects of diverse discourses in the future.