While minimalism tends to be synonymous with the 1990s, its master was already well ahead of the curve in 1968, when he founded his eponymous label, Calvin Klein Limited. Klein's line of basic sportswear may have provided the American wardrobe with essentials and underlined that less really is more, but what really distinguished the designer was his unfailing ability to make a splash. Whether it was creating brand craze with his famous branded-pocket jeans, to championing androgyny with the first boy-cut briefs for women and a unisex fragrance, to the legendary advertising campaigns that featured splay-legged youth like the 15-year old Brooke Shields purring about nothing coming between her and her Calvins, the designer was constantly pushing the envelope.  In honor of his birthday, here is some classic CK iconography, paired with OC gifts, as always!

FILED UNDER: birthday , calvin klein , hickey freeman & opening ceremony , alexis mabille , filmelange , alexander wang