Fashion designer Calvin Klein has done it again: He's created yet another controversial advertisement designed to raise eyebrows. It’s a television commercial so provocative, it’s been banned in America. (It’s also getting Klein a ton of attention.)

The spot for Klein’s new Secret Obsession fragrance features a nude Eva Mendes rolling around in bed. What really steamed up American censors is that viewers get a full-on shot of the sultry starlet’s boob — nipple and all.

The new ad is hardly the Nipplegate that was Janet and Justin’s half-time boobie shot, but at least one person is spitting mad. Fabien Baron, the ad’s creative director says, “You must be kidding me. This country really needs a new president — this country is so messed up. It’s such a joke and it’s quite upsetting, frankly, how hypocritical this country has become. It’s OK for children to see people killed by guns? Spreading a little love right now would be a good idea.”

Of course, Baron grew up in France where people are not terrified of a breast.

This isn’t the first time Klein’s ads have come under scrutiny. In 1981, Klein got into a lot of hot water (and banned from CBS)when the now-infamous television commercial for his blue jeans featured a 15-year-old Brooke Shields looking at the camera and purring, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.”

The Shields commercial makes Miley Cyrus’ Vanity Fair pose look kittenish. … continue reading

Today's New York Times has an interesting article about Calvin Klein's new attempt to market a fragrance to today's 20-somethings, aka "the millennials." (In my opinion, that makes today's youth sound like aliens -- and I do admit that some of the 20-somethings I encounter have very alien-like haircuts.)

The new scent is called in2u, and it is apparently the "sequel" to CK One, the unisex, androgynous cologne that took '90s grunge culture by storm. Here's an ad for in2U:

I dunno about you, but in2u has "flop" written all over it. I mean, first of all, the name is ridiculous. Second, Calvin Klein is trying to market this to the "technosexual" generation -- a term they not only coined but trademarked, apparently without realizing that "technosexual" screams LAME from the highest rooftops. What, are people gonna dab on some in2u before they instant message someone called 20yocutie?

I must be officially old, because even though I'm not really into cologne, those CK One ads now seem like high art to me.

Ah, androgyny. Hot grrls in roughed-up jeans and tank tops. I Love the '90s.