Classic brands, new icons: PVH leverages pop culture for Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein

At US fashion group PVH Corporation (PVH), the strategic priorities are clear. The company is focusing entirely on strengthening its two heritage brands, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein. Collaborations with prominent figures from the music and cultural sectors play a key role in this strategy. Recently, prestigious partnerships in professional sports have also been added, which is now itself part of the global entertainment industry.

On the occasion of presenting the results for the 2025/26 financial year, PVH CEO Stefan Larsson articulated a clear definition of the message the group aims for with its main brands. “It has to be 100 percent iconic and 100 percent current,” he explained during a conference call on Wednesday. The group's focus is therefore on updating traditional values in a contemporary way.

There is a clear objective behind this. As part of the current 'PVH+' reform strategy, the group aims to appeal to younger target audiences who promise particular advantages. “Members of Gen Z and young millennials are particularly style-conscious. They shop more frequently, spend more and are more loyal,” Larsson emphasised, citing internal data analysis. PVH is therefore specifically targeting its marketing activities on social media channels and digital platforms towards these consumers.

At Calvin Klein, stars like Bad Bunny, Rosalía and Jung Kook are boosting demand

Influential testimonials play a significant role in this. In this context, Larsson pointed to the measurable success of recent Calvin Klein underwear campaigns featuring Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny and Spanish musician Rosalía. These led to sales increases of 20 percent in menswear and 13 percent in womenswear, the CEO explained.

Bad Bunny in a campaign for Calvin Klein Image: Calvin Klein

The collaboration with South Korean singer Jung Kook was reportedly even more successful. Sales of products featured by the K-pop star in a recent Calvin Klein campaign immediately increased by 50 percent, Larsson noted.

The latest Calvin Klein campaign with actress Dakota Johnson for the current spring collection has also already had an impact. Traffic to the brand's website increased by a double-digit percentage after its launch in Europe, Larsson explained. Sales have also developed “strongly” since then.

Success of TV series ‘Love Story’ brought Calvin Klein classics back into focus

The brand recently received an additional, unexpected boost from the hit TV series ‘Love Story’. In the show, lead actress Sarah Pidgeon embodied the classic 1990s style of Calvin Klein in her role as Carolyn Bessette. This brought the label's historic core values back into the spotlight for fashion-conscious viewers. “You can't talk about Calvin Klein right now without mentioning ‘Love Story’,” Larsson admitted in light of the surprising response. “You can't plan something like that.”

The group reacted quickly to the series' success, which caused search queries for historic Calvin Klein products to soar. The brand dressed Pidgeon for the most recent Oscar party. It also opened a specially designed pop-up store in New York's SoHo district, which achieved astonishing sales according to Larsson. Additionally, a dedicated section called the ‘90s Edit’ was launched on its online shop to highlight the brand's classic styles.

Tommy Hilfiger focuses on prominent partners from professional sports

While marketing for Calvin Klein focuses on fashion history and top-tier pop culture stars, PVH has recently emphasised the connection to professional sports for Tommy Hilfiger. Last summer, the brand announced its collaboration with the new Formula 1 team, Cadillac. In January, the label entered into an outfitter partnership with the historic English football club FC Liverpool. According to Larsson, this led to a tripling of demand for the featured products in Europe.

Tommy Hilfiger campaign with FC Liverpool players Image: Tommy Hilfiger

A special case was the collaboration with American football star Travis Kelce, unveiled just a few days ago. As a three-time Super Bowl winner, the Kansas City Chiefs professional is a sports icon. However, he gained worldwide cultural relevance through his relationship with pop titan Taylor Swift. Kelce, who will now act as a “global brand ambassador and creative partner” for Tommy Hilfiger, thus serves multiple target audiences.

Tommy Hilfiger with football star Travis Kelce Image: Tommy Hilfiger

The connection to pop culture has a long tradition at the brand. It achieved its global breakthrough in the 1990s through close collaboration with up-and-coming hip-hop stars. A pivotal moment was an appearance by rapper Snoop Dogg in 1994, who wore a Tommy Hilfiger outfit on the popular TV show ‘Saturday Night Live’. He ultimately helped the brand make the leap from the subculture scene to the fashion mainstream.

The group continues to rely on such partnerships, recently demonstrating a remarkable instinct. After all, artists like Bad Bunny and Rosalía are now among the most influential worldwide. However, like Jung Kook, they have managed to preserve their identity and therefore continue to appeal to diverse regional target audiences.

Given the global challenges facing the fashion industry, the measurable success of these collaborations is currently not enough to help PVH make significant leaps. For the current 2026/27 financial year, the group's management again expects only a modest increase in sales.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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