The Tottenham Hotspur football star fronts his first campaign for the underwear label—finally

In yet another aggressive campaign to convince football fans to care about underwear, Calvin Klein has appointed Son Heung-Min as its new brand ambassador.

For the unacquainted, Son is a celebrated Premier League top scorer, a member of the English football club Tottenham Hotspur, and the captain of the South Korean national team—all of which has primed him to become the perfect Calvin Klein model.

In his first campaign for the American fashion label, the sportsman flaunts his chiselled figure while wearing the brand’s logoed denim and underwear offerings. In one particularly tantalising shot, Son, seemingly fresh from a bath, relaxes in nothing but a pair of black trunks.

The underwear, a new style from Calvin Klein’s Embossed Icon collection, is notably crafted from sustainable stretch cotton, but that certainly won’t be its main selling point once more photos of Son wearing the collection are unveiled in late August.

Read more: Exclusive: Tottenham Hotspur Footballer Son Heung-Min Shares His Sporting Goals for 2022

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Above Son Heung-Min for Calvin Klein (Photo: Calvin Klein)
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Son Heung-Min for Calvin Klein Underwear.
Above Photo: Calvin Klein

Like the commentators on Calvin Klein’s latest Instagram post, the football star is more than thrilled with his new role as Calvin Klein Underwear ambassador for South Korea.

“As a longtime fan of the brand, I’m thrilled to be representing Calvin Klein Underwear in my home country,” said the Asian Adonis in a statement. “Calvin Klein products have had a special place in my wardrobe for years, so our partnership is a natural fit. Like so many people around the world, I am constantly inspired by the brand’s iconic campaigns, so to be the face of one is both exciting and surreal.”

Son may not have seen this career move coming, but the footballer comes from a long, lusty line of athletes that have stripped down for Calvin Klein. That line began in 1982 with US Olympic pole vaulter Tom Hintnaus who, as the first Calvin Klein underwear model, showed the world the necessity of such a role in a sun-soaked shot.

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Above Tom Hintnaus in the first Calvin Klein Underwear campaign, shot by Bruce Weber. (Photo: Calvin Klein)
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Above Hidetoshi Nakata modelling the Calvin Klein X Underwear collection. (Photo: Calvin Klein)

Ex-Arsenal member Freddie Ljungberg’s similarly sweaty campaign for the brand stirred up so much daring desire that he was unfortunately harassed at nightclubs thereafter. Following his lead, tennis stars Fernando Verdasco and Janko Tipsarevic proved to look just as good in white off the court as on, while Japanese footballer Hidetoshi Nakata’s brief appearance in Calvin Klein campaigns introduced a taste of diversity in the brand’s thirst trap marketing.

The salacious strategy has worked for Calvin Klein for decades now, so don’t be surprised if Tottenham Hotspur die-hards end up dedicating a special place in their wardrobes to stretch cotton briefs.

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