Even with the current dismal economic outlook, it still seems like a lot of perfumery types are putting out the same overdone adverts. However, during the recession that began during the late 1990s, things were apparently done a bit differently. Backstage at this year’s London Fashion Week, veteren make-up artist Kay Montono tells Elle UK that Calvin Klein pared down the look of its turn-of-the-century adverts to match the (at least temporarily) frugal attitudes of its consumers:

Yes, the recession came and after that fashion and beauty became rather more pared down. One of my first jobs after moving to New York was to make up Kate Moss for the Calvin Klein Obsession fragrance campaign and I just used moisturiser. She looked absolutely perfect.

And by extension, I suppose this recession-induced minimalism also explains the nudity of Kate Moss (who is also selflessly attempting to fix our present-day “David Bowie recession”) in those CK Obsession adverts. To think, I just figured that Calvin was being pervy…