Francisco Costa

Here’s a full profile of Francisco Costa (born 10 May 1964), the Brazilian-born designer:

Introduction

Francisco Costa is a Brazilian fashion designer and creative visionary best known for his long tenure as Women’s Creative Director of the Calvin Klein Collection. Over his career, he has combined minimalist elegance, sculptural sensibility, and a keen respect for materials and craftsmanship. In more recent years, he has extended his creative identity into the beauty and wellness sector with Costa Brazil, a brand rooted in Brazilian ecology and sustainable sourcing.

Early Life, Family & Influences

Francisco Costa was born on 10 May 1964 in Guarani, a small municipality in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Maria-Francisca Costa, ran a children’s clothing factory in Guarani, and his father, Jacy Neves da Costa, managed a modest ranch.

Growing up, Francisco was immersed in clothing and textiles: as a youth he visited his mother’s factory, observed garment construction, and even organized small charity fashion shows in his town.

Education & Early Career

In 1985, at the age of 21, Costa relocated to New York City. He did not speak English at the time. Hunter College and then took evening courses in fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

His first professional role was with Herbert Rounick’s Seventh Avenue garment company (a licence house producing for designers such as Oscar de la Renta and Bill Blass). Oscar de la Renta, working on licensing, Japanese lines, and proving his design capabilities.

Later, around 1998, he joined Gucci as a design assistant under Tom Ford, working on eveningwear and collections.

Calvin Klein: Peak Design Leadership

In 2001, Costa attracted the attention of Calvin Klein partners and joined the Calvin Klein design group. September 2003, he was appointed Women’s Creative Director for the Calvin Klein Collection, overseeing the high-end women’s line.

Costa brought to Klein a refined minimalism, combining architectural discipline, fluid lines, and an understated sensuality. His work earned him industry acclaim:

• CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year in 2006 and again in 2008

• National Design Award (Fashion Design category) in 2009

Under his direction, the Calvin Klein women’s line evolved to emphasize precise tailoring, sculptural forms, fine fabrics and dignified restraint.

In 2016, with the arrival of Raf Simons and a shift in the brand’s creative strategy, Costa’s tenure at Calvin Klein came to an end.

Post-Fashion: Costa Brazil & Return to Roots

After leaving Calvin Klein, Francisco Costa refocused his creative energies on Brazil and nature. He founded Costa Brazil, a sustainable beauty & wellness brand inspired by the Amazon and Brazilian botanical traditions. breu resin, cacay oil, kaya, and others, often sourced through partnerships with Indigenous communities and conservation frameworks.

Costa’s aim is to converge beauty, ritual, ecological care, and design. He treats Costa Brazil as an extension of his design ethos—minimal in form, rooted in place, respectful of natural systems.

Style, Philosophy & Design Ethos

• Minimalism with warmth: Costa’s designs often pare down excess, privileging clean lines, sculptural structure, and a tactile sensitivity.

• Precision & craft: He is known as a perfectionist who pays careful attention to seam, drape, cut, and finish.

• Connection to origin: Costa often speaks of his Brazilian roots, nature, and how his return to Brazilian ecology feels essential to his creative rebirth.

• Sustainability & respect: With Costa Brazil, he emphasizes fair trade, ethical sourcing, ecological balance, and returning benefits to communities and landscapes.

Recognition & Impact

• He has been celebrated by institutions and design bodies: Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award, multiple CFDA awards, etc.

• Costa has dressed high-profile figures (celebrities, public figures) and collaborated across disciplines (fashion, art, wellness).

• His shift from couture fashion to ethical beauty is seen by many as a model of how designers can evolve their practice by aligning to ecological and social values.

Lessons & Legacy

1. Design is a journey, not a one-stop destination
   Costa’s transition from fashion to beauty demonstrates how creative identities can expand and renew.

2. Minimalism demands discipline
   What seems simple on the surface often requires rigorous editing, craftsmanship, and sensitivity.

3. Root your work in place
   Re-engaging with his Brazilian heritage and ecosystems grounded Costa in new purpose and authenticity.

4. Ethics can integrate with aesthetics
   Costa Brazil exemplifies how beauty products can be designed not just for appearance but for ecological and cultural integrity.

5. Adaptation is vital
   Creative professionals should remain responsive to personal evolution, market changes, and deeper values.