Calvin Klein and Palace Collaborate with Willem Dafoe, Studio RM and More on #CK1Palace Film

CK1 Palace, a new fragrance collaboration between Calvin Klein and Palace Skateboards has been launched with a short film by Alasdair McLellan, with colour grading by Studio RM’s Jamie Noble.

The dynamic, tongue-in-cheek film is an ode to the cities that have come to define these two labels. For iconic fashion house Calvin Klein, that is of course New York. For streetwear brand Palace, it’s London and its lively skate scene.

Dipping between these two cities, McLellan’s roving camera captures the Palace skate crew roaming around London and New York’s pizza shops, ferries, taxis, fire escapes, and grafti-covered skateparks. The diferences and similarities between these two eternal cities are also represented by shots of glistening skyscrapers and sunsets.

The short film brings together an assemblage of established icons and emerging young artists synonymous with the cities. This includes revered actor Willem Dafoe, Hollywood dame Joan Collins, model Lourdes Leon, skater Savannah Keenan, model Adwoa Aboah and British pop group Pet Shop Boys, whose 1984 dance hit “West End Girls” scores the film.

McLellan expertly captures the grit and crackling energy of both cities, with his saturated colour palette of pulsating blues, bold oranges, and warm browns. Mixed in are grainy film textures and VHS fuzz, a nod to Palace’s 90sreferencing skate videos. Also included are high-contrast, black-and-white style studio shots that are synonymous with the Calvin Klein brand.

Colourist Jamie Noble, who has worked with McLellan for over six years, was well-equipped to achieve the bold and vibrant tones that are distinctive to McLellan’s practice, and which are also perfect to express the vitality and commotion of city life. He also brought his specialization in fashion and fragrance campaigns to this unique project.