Idris Elba Is the Newest Face of Calvin Klein (2024)

Who needs to be the new James Bond when you can be the latest face of Calvin Klein?

The second installment of the brand's 2024 Spring menswear campaign stars non-other than actor and musician, Idris Elba.

The former "Sexiest Man Alive" is featured in a number of chic black-and-white photos, shot by famed photographer Mert Alas. The campaign styles Elba, 51, in the brand's Classic Trench Coat, a Seersucker Full Zip Shirt Jacket, and a Sateen Bomber Jacket.

"The Spring 2024 menswear collection’s lightweight outerwear, modern tailoring and premium men’s apparel channel Calvin Klein’s signature bold, effortless minimalism," the brand said in press release introducing the latest phase of the campaign.

"(The)seasonal campaign continues to explore the world of Calvin Klein, highlighting dynamic talent in standalone vignettes that spotlight their individuality, unlock their confidence and reveal the full Calvin Klein lifestyle," the release continued.

Elba shows off his modeling chops in a series of shots—in both black-and-white and in color—featuring a variety of artistic poses, including one in which Elba stands with his hands behind his back as he wears a black button-up shirt, white tee and matching trousers.

In another photograph, Elba reaches for the camera while wearing a long-sleeve shirt and jeans. The campaign also features Elba looking through a car window while wearing a bomber jacket.

Elba is also photographed wearing a suit jacket, pants and matching loafers while he sits on a wooden chair in the middle of a romantic-looking, nondescript cobblestone street.

Elba told Vanity Fair that it was "a massive compliment" to be chosen to star in the campaign.

“I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel. I wanted to be in a classic (Calvin Klein)-looking ad and wanted to just be Idris, you know?" the actor told the publication when discussing his overall goal for the shoot. "Just to be me and not try to be a model or whatever, just be myself in these shots."

According to Variety, the campaign is not the first time Elba and British photographer Alas have worked together—but it is "by far the most high-profile campaign the pair have worked on together."

And while Calvin Klein is known for breaking the internet with their menswear campaigns featuring stars in their underwear—yes, Jeremy Allen White we're looking at you—Elba told Vanity Fair he knew he would be most comfortable in front of the camera if he was fully clothed.

“These are pieces that I would literally integrate into my wardrobe now,” he said. “When I go places for my career or go to an event, I tend to dress it up. I don’t mind making a splash if I have to. But my day-to-day wear is pretty clean, simple, and functional.”

Weekend Editor