Aaron Taylor-Johnson for Calvin Klein: exclusive interview

Sara Moschini
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31 March 2023

The actor Aaron Taylor Johnson is one of the protagonists of the new campaign Calvin Klein spring-summer which reinterprets the famous claim “Calvins or Nothing”.

Shot by the famous duo Mert&Marcus, the campaign features personalities such as the singer and artist FKA Twiggs, Kendall Jenner and Michael B Jordan move in an aseptic space, emphasizing one’s sensuality and material physicality.

And it is precisely the photos (and above all the video) of the British actor that are making the rounds on social networks.

In the black and white video in perfect Calvin Klein style we see Taylor-Johnson playing with a light bulb who creates light and shadow and who dances. In fact, the actor has also studied dance and singing and had already shown his talents in the 2011 video of REM’s Überlin, where he dances in the streets of Shoreditch in London. The video was shot by his wife Sam Taylor-Wood with whom he had already worked on Nowhere Boy in 2009, a film where he plays a teenager John Lennon.

The actor, who became famous at the beginning of his career for his role in Kick Ass, where he is far from the sex symbol image we see in the photos taken by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, is now also in contention as possible next James Bond.

Exclusively for Grazia, the we asked a few questions about your relationship with fashion and style, hoping to see him again soon on some photographic set as well as at the cinema.

What was your reaction when asked to join the campaign?
I’ve always thought Calvin Klein had a unique identity with its campaigns and iconic black and white photography. So I was and am really proud to be part of this team and the history of the brand.

Has fashion always interested you?
Yes. It’s a way of expressing who you are and it’s something I always like to explore through the characters I play. Whether they are wearing clothes from the past or contemporary they can really say a lot about the wearer’s personality.

What is your first fashion-related memory?
I vividly remember the Calvin Klein campaign with Mark Wahlberg and Kate Moss. It was truly an iconic moment of the 90s.

Is there a garment or a fashion object you are particularly attached to?
I have a beautiful Omega watch. I like to always be on time. I don’t think it’s polite to make someone wait.

Is there anyone, an actor from the past for example, whose style you admire?
Steve McQueen, Marlon Brando, Paul Newman. For me they are all to be revered.

The most stylish character you’ve played?
The one I play in Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals. My character is wearing a custom made pair of green cowboy boots.

What is your favorite piece from the Calvin Klein collection?
I love the denim jacket and jeans. And boxers too…

Do you have your own “uniform” that you wear and feel comfortable with or do you also like to take risks?
I usually wear more classic items in everyday life. I happen to take more risks on set, with the characters I play.

Is there anything you would never wear?
A cycling suit!

As an actor you have to participate in many red carpets. Do you like getting ready, finding looks, for these events?
I don’t have a stylist working with me. I like to follow and choose the designer clothes that inspire me at that precise moment. I think it’s necessary to feel comfortable when you’re on a red carpet and I’d rather be myself than someone else even in those situations. I learned this the hard way.

Last question. Would you like to model on the catwalk?
I’ve been asked a few times and I’ve said no, but that doesn’t mean I’m not open to new opportunities. As with all things, it evolves, and you change your mind too.

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