For its spring 2026 campaign, Calvin Klein returns to unabashed sensuality by featuring American actress Dakota Johnson. Recalling the sexiness of the 1990s and 2000s, the star of the Fifty Shades of Grey films has generated viral success.
The last time we saw actress Dakota Johnson lending her image to a luxury brand was last November for the Roman couture house Valentino, almost two months before the founder’s death.
This time, the 36-year-old Texan is promoting the merits of a fellow American who has always been a force to be reckoned with in the world of accessible luxury: Calvin Klein.
The actress was able to draw on the sultry sex appeal—albeit a softer version—of the three Fifty Shades of Grey films with their BDSM (bondage, domination, submission, sadomasochism) theme.
The undefeated power of sex appeal
Since Brooke Shields’ debut in the 1980s and her famous slogan, “You want to know what’s between me and my Calvins? Nothing,” Calvin Klein has found its winning formula: stars and provocative imagery, not to say sexually suggestive.
After singer Rosalia, Calvin Klein continues to focus on the “male gaze” (a hypersexualized view of the female body designed to appeal almost exclusively to a male audience, Ed.) with Dakota Johnson this time around. While the name of the actress and producer may not necessarily ring a bell, the young woman is known for her role as Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades of Grey saga. What’s more, as a true nepo-baby, she is the daughter of two stars of the small and big screen, Don Johnson (Sonny Crockett in the series Miami Vice) and Melanie Griffith (Working Girl). The latter has since remarried a certain Antonio Banderas.
In both photos and video, Gordon Von Steiner captures the young woman almost naked, wandering around her home, completely relaxed, even playing pool in her underwear or wearing only jeans. Set to the sound of “Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)” by The Hollies, the one-minute commercial exudes a certain idea of sexiness that is natural, unpretentious, and with a touch of mischief. “When a woman is alone at home, working, reading or doing something else, she can feel very free and sensual. Channeling that energy and associating it with Calvin Klein’s iconography seemed both unique and classic to me,” said the actress.
In its press release, the American brand specified—in keeping with the post-#MeToo era—that the aim of this campaign was to “navigate between subtle sensuality and irreverent humor, removing all excess to focus on Calvin Klein’s latest jeans cuts and underwear innovations.” However, let’s not be mistaken: this is less about presenting its products than about projecting a mood, an attitude, even a fantasy. It can thus be seen as a celebration of comfort, self-confidence, and a sexy life on one’s own terms.
Launched worldwide on March 9 on retail websites, its website, and social media, the campaign has certainly sparked a reaction online, ranging from positive responses to discomfort at the return of the male gaze.
This spring 2026 campaign comes as the brand’s owner, the PVH group, generated revenue of $2.3 billion in the three months leading up to December 2025. Its CFO said at the time that the company was continuing its efforts to make Calvin Klein and its sister brand Tommy Hilfiger “the most sought-after lifestyle brands in the world.”
Read also > Spanish singer Rosalia, the new face of the Calvin Klein campaign
Featured photo: © Calvin Klein
