US fashion brand Calvin Klein has joined a growing number of foreign companies seeking to re-establish their trademarks in Russia, more than three years after halting operations following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict and subsequent Western sanctions.
According to a filing with the Russian patent office, Rospatent, the company submitted an application on June 16 to register its brand across a broad range of goods and services, from cosmetics, clothing, and accessories to furniture, textiles, and advertising.
If approved, the trademark would allow Calvin Klein to sell products such as perfume, soap, deodorants, shampoo, sunglasses, backpacks, T-shirts, watches – and even furniture and carpets – under its name. The filing also includes bookcases and wardrobes, suggesting a push beyond the brand’s core fashion line.
The rights are being sought by Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation (PVH), the US-based owner of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. PVH was among the many Western companies that exited Russia in 2022 due to sanctions, supply disruptions, and public pressure. At the time, it operated more than 150 stores across the country. It first announced it was suspending operations, followed by a full shutdown.
Calvin Klein has made no official statement on plans to resume business in Russia. Its filing comes amid signs of renewed interest from some foreign brands in re-entering the market through licensing or third-party deals, despite ongoing restrictions.
Rospatent has not yet ruled on the application. Calvin Klein now joins a list of global brands – including McDonald’s, Hyundai, Intel, Microsoft, LG, IKEA, Chanel, Rolex, and Louis Vuitton – that have sought to maintain or restore their intellectual property rights in Russia, regardless of whether they are currently operating in the country.
According to Kirill Dmitriev, President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, foreign businesses that left three years ago have been quietly returning. He told reporters last month that US companies lost over $300 billion from their withdrawal.
Moscow and Washington have begun rebuilding ties that were frayed under former President Joe Biden. Since Donald Trump returned to office in January, both sides have held high-level talks aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict and improving diplomatic relations. Trump and Putin have each voiced support for reviving economic cooperation.
In March, Putin ordered the government to draft clearer rules for Western companies seeking to return, with the aim of protecting domestic producers.