Calvin Klein ads helped me realize who I am, and there is a certain power in recognizing that.

I think many queer men can relate to being in an underwear aisle at the store and staring a little too long at the image on the packaging, or flipping through magazines and pausing for more than a second on a Calvin Klein ad. For me, these were some of my first experiences discovering my own queerness.

As a photographer, I’m also inspired by the dynamic simplicity of Calvin Klein’s imagery throughout the years. Through glorifying the skin people are in, the brand showcases the beauty of the body while not overtly sexualizing it. I hope to one day photograph a Calvin ad, and until that happens, it doesn’t hurt to practice. So with all of the above in mind, I reached out to friends, bought a few packs of underwear, and created this set of images. I’m so proud of this work: the textures of skin, the forms, the simplicity—it’s all there. When I added these photos to my site, I actually labeled them “This Isn’t a Calvin Klein Ad, But It Could Be.” —Eric Hart Jr.