“Want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.”
Brooke Shields is a gorgeous model and actress who will always be remembered for her iconic Calvin Klein tagline.
In the 1980s, an up-and-coming model was the star of a Calvin Klein ad that caused controversy for being sexually suggestive.
Brooke Hamrick was only 15 when she delivered this memorable line in the commercial. The ruckus was so severe that the ad was banned in certain countries. She was still very young at the time and didn’t realize how her line in the TV spot may be interpreted sexually.
Brooke is now opening up about a confusing and traumatic interview experience she had with journalist Barbara Walters, calling it ‘practically criminal.’
Brooke was a guest on the Armchair Expert podcast, where she talked about how young actresses and models are oversexualized by the media. Brooke recounted her own experience while modeling for Calvin Klein. After the scandal surrounding her feature in CK’s ads, Brooke did many interviews – one with Barbara Walters being particularly difficult for her as it brought up triggers from her past.
“It’s practically criminal. It’s not journalism,” she stated.
Brooke remembers that during the interview, Barbara asked her a few odd questions. She was questioned about what her measurements were and whether she had any secrets from her mother when she was only 15 years old.
In an October 2021 Vogue interview, Brooke shields spoke about the public backlash she received for her campaign. She stated, “I was away when they came out, and then I started hearing that the commercials were being banned. The paparazzi would scream at me and my mother, ‘How could you!’ It just struck me as so ridiculous.”
Brooke says she never perceived the line as double entendre or even sexual. She added, “I didn’t think it was about underwear or sexual in nature. I was naive. I think the assumption was that I was much more savvy than I ever really was. I was a virgin, and I was a virgin forever after that.”
That Calvin Klein advertising was banned, and she and her mother were shamed for it, did not stop the effort from becoming legendary. Brooke stated, “The controversy backfired. The campaign was extremely successful, and then the underwear overtook the jeans. [Calvin Klein] understood how to push the envelope. It set the tone for decades.”
It’s no surprise that Calvin Klein has become a household name and is notorious. And when you’re aware of their advertising campaigns, it’s easy to see why. Because the brand has never been afraid of what critics may say, you are now familiar with some of their ad campaigns. It’s not a secret that it constantly straddles the line between appealing and offensive.
Calvin Klein is no stranger to controversy, and Brooke Shields is no stranger to it. And now that campaign is a big part of their fame and notoriety. After decades of insults and condemnation, the company will never be afraid to push the limits again.
