Calvin Klein’s Family, Relationships, and Closest Friends: Everything You Should Know

Calvin Klein grew up in New York City, where his early years shaped many of his later choices. Throughout life, family, important relationships, and friends all played central roles. Klein was known for balancing the demands of work and personal connections, often acknowledging the impact each had on his journey.

Family and Early Life

Calvin Klein was born in 1942 in the Bronx, New York. He was raised in a Jewish family. His parents, Flore and Leo Klein, nurtured his interest in design from a young age. Calvin was influenced by his mother, who supported his ambitions and love for fashion.

He attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, although he didn’t earn a degree. His childhood in a supportive home inspired his future work and helped him stay close to his family roots as he entered the world of fashion.

Klein later had a family of his own. In 1964, he married Jayne Centre, a textile designer. Together they welcomed a daughter named Marci in 1967. Marci is Calvin’s only child and works as a TV producer.

After his first marriage ended in divorce, Calvin remarried in 1986. His second wife, Kelly Rector, shared Klein’s interest in art and design. Their marriage lasted until 2006, but they had no children together. Kelly worked in the fashion industry as well.

Calvin Klein never remarried after his split with Kelly Rector. His daughter Marci remained his only child, and she continued her career in television.

Name	Relation	Birth Year
Flore Klein	Mother	Unknown
Leo Klein	Father	Unknown
Marci Klein	Daughter	1967

Relationships and Past Partners

Klein’s first marriage was to Jayne Centre, whom he met in the early 1960s. Jayne was a talented textile designer from New York, and they shared creative interests. They married in 1964 and had a daughter, Marci, in 1967. Their marriage ended in divorce a few years later.

After several years as a single parent, Calvin Klein met Kelly Rector, an art lover and fashion professional, in the 1980s. They married in 1986. Their relationship combined business and personal interests, as both worked in the creative industries. This marriage lasted until 2006 before ending in divorce.

After his divorce from Kelly Rector, there were media reports about Klein dating and relationships, but no widely confirmed long-term romantic partners after his second marriage ended. None of these other relationships included children or further marriages.

Name	Relationship Type	Time Period
Jayne Centre	Ex-Wife	1964–1974
Kelly Rector	Ex-Wife	1986–2006

Friends and Social Life

Calvin Klein maintained friendships with artists, designers, and media figures. One of his most longstanding friends was Barry Schwartz, who co-founded the Calvin Klein brand with him in 1968. Their partnership went beyond business and included mutual trust and shared goals.

Klein also counted celebrities among his friends. He mixed with people like Andy Warhol, becoming part of New York’s cultural circles. These friendships created lasting personal memories, even after some professional partnerships changed as business evolved.

Despite fame, Calvin Klein valued genuine connections. With his network, he often focused on creativity rather than status. Some friendships faded as people moved in different directions, but a few remained steady throughout his career.

Name	Known Since	Profession
Barry Schwartz	1968	Business Partner
Andy Warhol	1970s	Artist