New York City (NYC) is well known for its massive advertisement billboards. Needless to say, there’s a large number of NYC billboards that have shaped and changed the fashion industry and are truly iconic. From mural ads to the mastery of the classic billboard, the New York area has been the backdrop for some amazing ingenuity and creativity in fashion billboard history.
Let’s take a look at some of the most iconic billboards, murals, and advertising locations in New York City.
The Houston Street Calvin Klein billboard
Affixed to one side of a building on the corner of Houston St and Lafayette St there is a billboard that has been in use by Calvin Klein since approximately 2006, according to Outfront, manager of the 75-by-55 foot billboard space.
Calvin Klein’s bold ads featuring their extensive lines of jeans, womenswear, menswear, undergarments, and other products have become a staple feature of the SoHo area. The intimidatingly large ad campaigns usually feature popular Calvin Klein partners and models alike. The larger-than-life billboard has become a sought-after high point for many careers, leading many to higher-paying work and increased popularity in the months after.
Here’s just a few of the celebs, musicians, and models who have gotten on this coveted billboard:
- Indya Moore
- Chika Oranika
- Doutzen Kroes
- Kendall Jenner
- Justin Beiber
- Eva Mendes
- Jari Jones
- King Princess
- Heron Preston
Calvin Klein gained infamy and popularity with their occasionally risque and provocative ad shoots while growing their brand to a more inclusive ideal by starting and continuing the highlighting of LGBTQ+ models and brand partners during pride month and beyond.
The SoHo Spectacular
On the corner opposite of the Houston St Calvin Klein billboard is a display of three billboards, nicknamed the “Soho Spectacular”, due to its high demand and reputation as an attention-drawing tool, usually being booked out for the year by March. It has hosted numerous popular clothing and accessory brands such as:
- Michael Kors
- Balmain
- Prada
- Ray-Band
- Tudor
- Moncler
Those brands and other companies frequently use all three billboards for a singular large multi-image high-concept ad throughout each year.
The Gucci Art Wall
The brand Gucci is synonymous with extravagance, opulence, and fashion and their advertising is no different. On the side of a building at 252 Lafayette St in SoHo, Gucci has many times reimagined an NYC billboard as a high art mural many times. featuring their products, concepts for the upcoming line, and classics-inspired pieces.
Some of the features of the often changing NYC mural have been:
- Two framed victorian-era women in Gucci sunglasses, created by Colossal Media.
- A large tiger surrounded by ornately embroidered pillows, designed by Alex Merry.
- A garden displaying the fragrance Gucci Bloom, designed by Ignasi Monreal.
- A landscape featuring Harry Styles, Zumi Rosow, Ariana Papademetropulis, Stanislas Klossowski de Rola, Olimpia Dior, and Leslie Winer, for The Gucci Mémoire d’une Odeur campaign, based on a photo by Glen Luchford.
- The stunning red lipstick-covered grin of musician Dani Miller. The piece was based on an image captured by Martin Parr.
- A black and white portate of a trio of models, 2 dressed in Gucci pantsuits and 1 in a skirt-suit, created by Colossal Media.
- Four cartoon gender-neutral human figures with their chests and waists covered by neon yellow censor bars, created by Colossal Media
The Art Walls are often motivated and inspired by Gucci and their campaign Chime for Change. They work for various charity efforts supporting gender inclusion and equality, including collaborating with distressed communities to tell their stories through art.
Times Square
Times Square is easily one of the places with the most iconic New york billboards by how many there are alone. You can see every day and high-luxury fashion alike as many billboards are now digital and allow multiple brands to rent different rotating slots.
The iconic square has featured some of the most well-known brands in the US and around the world, some of the everyday fashion icons and high fashion brands you may see are:
- Sketchers
- H&M
- Forever 21
- Levi’s
- Chanel
- Bulova
- Pandora
- Coach
- Dolce & Gabbana
In this wide range of brands, with products from sneakers and blue jeans to leather purses and crystal-faced watches, there’s room for almost anything to catch your eye. Consider renting an apartment nearby Manhattan to fully appreciate this beauty.
With showstoppers like the Soho area in lower Manhattan and Times Square, it’s easy to see why New York Billboards have been some of the most iconic in the world. Brands like Gucci, Calvin Klein, and Chanel have used the New York landscape to make unforgettable and eye-catching billboards.