Calvin, So Loco

Calvin Klein's streamlined, minimalist, monochromatic thing is so not me, but I appreciate what the man's done in the history of American fashion regardless. Back in my editrix days, I dealt with his PR lackeys on occasion, and if you ever want to feel ungroomed and completely out of style, I urge you to call them up some time. They're all like some John Pawson version of the Stepford Wives, skinny and sleek with long straight hair. So this, from yesterday's "Front Row", about allowed desk decor at Casa Calvin, is really no surprise:

Employees were instructed not to display photos, mementos, toys, awards or any flowers other than white ones....A photograph with the memo shows a tidy black desk accessorized with little more than a file folder or two. Approved office supplies that may appear on desks include black or white folders, black staplers, black paper clamps, black three-ring binders, black mechanical pencils and black Uniball Micro pens with black ink. The guidelines also forbid computer screensavers or desktop patterns that are not company-approved. "Twice each year, new desktop patterns will be available for download from the Calvin Klein intranet site," the memo said.

I suppose the black and white M&M's would be allowed?