This year, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the American fashion brand is dedicated to empowering Asian women to challenge gender norms.

 

Gender diversity X Calvin Klein

Photo Credit: Calvin Klein

 

Gender diversity. Beauty diversity. Size diversity. The movement to embrace diversity in all its forms is rising. Therefore, it has yet to find its place in Asian culture. On March 8th, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, Calvin Klein has a mission to empower Asian women to challenge gender norms.

Calvin Klein launches first-ever Asia-initiated advertising campaign entitled “My Statement #MyCalvin”. The campaign aims to push back cultural boundaries and empower Asian women to make their own personal statements.

 

The Campaign

 

The new campaign appears under the theme of “balance.” A diverse group of influencers and celebrities has been attracted from Asia. For instance, the Chinese model Bonnie Chen, transgender Indian model Anjali Lama, Japanese filmmaker Shiori Ito, and Singaporean actress Victoria Loke take part in the campaign.

Calvin Klein helps them to explore their gender identities and to remain confident against various pressures from family, friends, and colleagues.

For the campaign, each individual is dressed in Calvin Klein’s activewear (with almost no makeup). They perform a monologue on how they turned their personal challenges into victories. The intimate way in which the video was shot adds emotional weight to their story. It is a significant campaign that demonstrates Calvin Klein’s commitment to developing its presence in Asian markets.

 

Not the First Shot

Photo Credit: Calvin Klein

 

While it may be Calvin Klein’s first large-scale campaign focused on gender issues in Asia, it is not the first attempt by a brand to address these issues. In recent years, gender has become the new focus of customer experience initiatives.

Overall, challenging gender norms in the Asian cultural system will not be easy. Calvin Klein’s latest campaign is a brave shot.