You’ve probably seen the images by now. A chiseled man with that distinctive 1980s jawline, dripping with water, posing in those iconic white briefs. On TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), the captions are everywhere: "Erik Menendez’s lost Calvin Klein campaign" or "The career he could have had." It’s a haunting thought. A young man who looked like a movie star, caught in a tragedy that ended in a life sentence.
But here is the reality check. Erik Menendez never actually modeled for Calvin Klein. The "photoshoot" everyone is obsessed with is actually from 2025. It stars actor Cooper Koch, who played Erik in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Because Koch looks so strikingly similar to the real Erik during the 1993 trial, the internet basically did what the internet does—it blurred the lines between fiction and history.
Why Everyone Thinks the Erik Menendez Photoshoot Is Real
The confusion didn't happen by accident. In May 2025, Calvin Klein launched a massive summer campaign featuring Cooper Koch. Shot by legendary photographer Mert Alas, the visuals were intentionally designed to evoke that "90s hero" energy. Koch is seen in baggy jeans, wet tanks, and the new Icon Cotton Stretch underwear.
It looks like a time capsule.
Because Koch spent months on screen embodying Erik’s mannerisms, his physical presence in the ads feels like an extension of the character. Fans of the show started editing the CK photos alongside real 1989 footage of Erik Menendez. Suddenly, the algorithm started serving these "fancams" to people who hadn't seen the show, and the myth of the "lost photoshoot" was born.
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Honestly, the resemblance is spooky. Both have that angular, "traditionally masculine" bone structure—sharp jawlines and prominent cheekbones that make 18-year-olds look 30.
The Real Fashion History of the Menendez Brothers
While there was no Calvin Klein contract, the Menendez brothers did have a massive impact on fashion. It just happened in a courtroom, not on a runway.
During the first trial in 1993, defense attorney Leslie Abramson and her team made a very specific choice. They ditched the expensive power suits the brothers wore at their arraignment. Why? Because suits made them look like "bratty rich kids." Instead, they put them in pastel-colored sweaters.
- The Yellow Sweater: This became the most infamous piece of clothing in legal history. The idea was that a man in a fuzzy yellow sweater couldn't possibly be a cold-blooded killer. It was "Easter Sunday" fashion used as a psychological shield.
- The "Old Money" Aesthetic: Before "Quiet Luxury" was a TikTok trend, Lyle and Erik were living it. Their real-life wardrobes were filled with Ralph Lauren-style polos, tennis whites, and sweaters draped over their shoulders.
- The Glasses: Both brothers started wearing glasses during the trial. Experts say this was a "nerd defense" tactic to make them look softer and more vulnerable to the jury.
People are fascinated by what could have been. Erik was a high-level tennis player with a face built for the camera. On Reddit and TikTok, there’s a whole subculture of people who look at his old family photos and argue he was "meant for the limelight." The Calvin Klein rumors are essentially a form of collective "what-if" storytelling.
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Cooper Koch’s Role in Re-igniting the Obsession
When Cooper Koch took the role, he didn't just play a part; he became the face of a new generation's interest in the case. His Calvin Klein shoot was actually quite grueling. In an interview with Esquire, he mentioned having a trainer on set forcing him to do push-ups and lift weights between every single shot to stay "pumped up."
They played Madonna the whole time to get the mood right.
Then came the water. Mert Alas used water to create that classic, sweaty CK aesthetic. This is the specific set of images that people keep mislabeling as "Erik Menendez in 1989." While the actor has expressed deep empathy for the real Erik—even visiting him in prison—the photoshoot was purely a high-fashion business move for the brand.
Separating Fact from Netflix Fiction
It's easy to get lost in the "Monsters" version of the story. Ryan Murphy’s show is known for being... well, Ryan Murphy. It’s stylized. It’s "smutty" at times. It mixes real testimony with rumors that were never proven in court.
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For instance, the show features scenes of the brothers showering together or behaving in ways that imply an incestuous relationship. The real Erik Menendez released a statement calling these portrayals "blatant lies." He was particularly hurt by how Lyle was depicted.
The internet's obsession with the "hotness" of the actors—and by extension, the real brothers—is a point of huge controversy. Some argue it trivializes the horrific abuse the brothers say they suffered. Others say it’s just human nature to find attractive people... attractive.
The Actionable Truth
If you see a "vintage" photo of Erik Menendez in Calvin Klein underwear, check the ears or the skin texture. It’s almost certainly Cooper Koch. If you're interested in the actual history of the case, stay away from the "fancams" and look toward the original 1993 CourtTV footage.
Here is what you should actually look for to verify these things:
- Check the Photographer: If the credit says "Mert Alas," it's the 2025 Cooper Koch shoot.
- Look for the Waistband: The "Icon Cotton Stretch" line featured in the viral photos didn't exist in the late 80s.
- Search the Archives: There is no record in the Calvin Klein corporate archives of either Menendez brother ever being under contract.
The Menendez story is a tragedy of abuse, wealth, and a broken legal system. It doesn't need fake photoshoots to be compelling. The real "fashion" of the case was the strategic use of knitwear to sway a jury—a tactic that worked for a while, until it didn't.
To get the full picture, compare the 1993 trial transcripts with the 1996 retrial. You'll see how the "image" of the brothers shifted from innocent boys in sweaters to convicted men in blue shirts. That's the real story, and no amount of Photoshop can change the ending.