Calvin Klein puts Walter De Maria sculptures on runway
Three Walter De Maria sculptures shared the runway with the models at Calvin Klein Collection Spring 2027. Models walked alongside the low works as the clothes were presented. The art sat in the centre of the action, not off to the side. The show presented the new seasonal line to guests.
The Spring 2027 collection was designed by Veronica Leoni, according to Yahoo Finance. Leoni drew on the wardrobe of Georgia O’Keeffe for inspiration. That means O’Keeffe’s own clothing, and the way she put outfits together, helped shape ideas for cut, cloth and colour.
Spring collections are shown months before the season they are named for, so audiences see proposals for next year’s dress now. The designer leads those choices, from silhouette to fabric to how each exit is styled. In this case the brief pointed back to O’Keeffe’s personal dress rather than to her paintings.
Three floor sculptures were installed along the runway. Floor sculpture is simply work made to rest directly on the floor, with no stand or plinth. Guests therefore saw moving clothes and still sculpture at the same level, in the same glance.
A runway is usually kept clear, with seats on either side of a central path. Keeping that path open gives every guest a clean view and gives cameras a clear line. Placing three works down the middle changes the sightlines and the rhythm of the walk. Both front-row guests and cameras face that central line.
ARTnews also reported the De Maria presence, in a report published on 15 September 2026. As the most recent account, it confirms the sculptures as part of the presentation.
What makes this stand out for viewers is how it photographs. Clips from shows travel fast on phones, often cropped tight on each look. With sculpture on the floor of the runway, the art lands inside almost every shot. One work alone would read differently. Three creates a sequence the models move through.
For fans, this means two threads to watch in one show. One is the O’Keeffe-led clothes and the ideas taken from personal dress. The other is the sculptural setting they walked past, which shared the floor space.
