Eighteen years ago, Kenneth Cole wanted to open a shoe company but he had limited money. So he went to Europe, designed a collection of shoes, and returned to the States to sell them.
According to Cole, a shoe company back then had two options. First, get a room at the New York Hilton and become one of the 1,100 shoe companies selling their goods. But he felt this wouldn’t provide the image and identity he needed for his new company. Plus, it would cost more money than he had to spend!
The second option was to do what the big companies did and get a fancy showroom in Midtown Manhattan. Definitely more identity but much more money needed too!
He had an idea. He called a friend in the trucking business and borrowed a big broken down trailer truck to park in Midtown Manhattan. His friend agreed but wished him good luck in getting permission. Cole went to Mayor Koch’s office, and asked how to get a permit to park a 40-foot trailer truck in Midtown Manhattan. One doesn’t. The only people the city gives parking permits to are production companies shooting full length motion pictures of utility companies like AT&T.
So in the same day, Cole went to the stationery store and had his company letterhead changed from Kenneth Cole, Inc. to Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc.
And the next day, he applied for a permit to shoot a full-length film entitled: The Birth of a Shoe Company.
With Kenneth Cole Productions painted on the side of the truck, Cole parked on 1370 6th Avenue across the Hilton on the day of the shoe show. He opened for business with a fully furnished 40 foot trailer, a director, a camera (sometimes with film, sometimes none at all!), models as actresses, and two of New York’s finest doormen  courtesy of Mayor Koch! In two-and-a-half days, they sold 40 thousand pairs of women’s shoes (including an $84 pair of stonewashed denim boots!). Truly resourceful and innovative in problem solving.
But Kenneth Cole’s creative mind doesn’t end there. In 1985, he put out his very first big ad campaign and this was what established his company. "The idea was to get people talking about AIDS," said Cole. "They’ve become his signature," says Billy Baldwin, who has modeled for Cole and has been a fan of his cause-related ads.
With his name on everyone’s lips, Kenneth Cole is clearly setting himself among the big four: Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger.
With a price range falling between affordable and aspirational, Cole’s price points are hugely responsible for the instant success of his cosmopolitan men’s line, which has an unintimidating European feel. "Our guys aspire to wear Dolce & Gabbana, so we package that and give it to them, says Paul Blum. "It’s called the international urban aesthetic," continues Blum. "We make fashion affordable."
With a company that now operates 41 retail stores in 25 cities from Atlanta to Amsterdam, a newly opened 18,000 square-foot giant flagship store in Rockefeller Center along Fifth Avenue, and a stock price that has jumped to 144 percent in the past 12 months, analysts see Kenneth Cole as fashion’s Next Big Thing or the Next Mega Brand. Kenneth Cole Productions has been on Forbes’ annual list of the World’s 200 Best Small Companies in America. In addition, Kenneth Cole Productions is named on Business Week’s list of Top Hot Growth Companies.
"I try not to be distracted by terms like that," 40-year-old Kenneth Cole said. "I’m not sure what they mean. A super-brand or a super-model, by definition, is here today, gone tomorrow."
"A brand today is much more than status." He adds "Consumers have to be able to trust it."
What is this shoemaker’s next step? "Men’s’ and women’s fragrance will be the next big license to be signed," Cole said. He hopes his customer will enable him to successfully support his clothing lines with fragrance and home lines. He envisions a chain that is something like a more upscale Gap.
We all surely await the Next Big Thing to make its next big step. Meanwhile, here are Kenneth Cole’s answers to questions we faxed him in New York:
Young Star: One of your first ads in 1986 read: "Imelda Marcos bought 3,700 pairs of shoes. She could have at least the courtesy to buy a pair of ours." So did Imelda ever buy a pair of Kenneth Cole shoes?
Kenneth Cole: The ad was designed to be very tongue-in-cheek, a parody of her excess. It was not confirmed if she ever had a pair of Kenneth Cole shoes.
Do you think it was essential to do something unusual to capture your market?
The images that we produce for our advertising and marketing campaigns need to inspire and appeal to the creative and passionate side of our customer.
In the Philippines, Kenneth Cole is more popular among guys right now. What’s your target market?
The women’s sportswear is a new business, and like any new business it is our job to define our customer. Kenneth Cole New York is a lifestyle brand targeted for an upscale professional man and woman.
What made you look toward the Asian market and most particularly the Philippines?
Our expansion in the Philippines was based on the fact that it’s an international destination. Manila is such a vibrant city and we wanted to be part of that energy.
You were one of the first to take a stand against AIDS. Do you think a fashion innovator should also be an activist trying to stir social-consciousness? Please explain.
We have historically used advertising to communicate various timely and relevant social messages. When AIDS first appeared, the fashion and design community was greatly affected by this disease. The decision to utilize the resources I have to help educate and raise awareness has been personal.
Are you coming here? The Filipinos would certainly like to meet Kenneth Cole in person.
I definitely want to visit but I have no immediate plans for a vacation.
You once said, "When you sit around at dinner talking about the death penalty, it’s hard to find relevance in what color shoes will be next season." As an entrepreneur who is also concerned with social issues and in the light of recent world events, how has the World Trade Center tragedy, the resulting slump in business, and the grim specter of a third world war changed your immediate business plans? I heard that many stores, at least in New York, have cancelled orders from their suppliers for the next season.
In this uncertain time it is important that we move forward with our lives and business as usual.
You are time and again compared to Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Nautica. What makes Kenneth Cole different from all these brands?
Kenneth Cole New York is a brand for the sophisticated urban professional. I design modern-looking clothing, shoes and accessories at a desirable price point. By incorporating the newest fabrics and technology I am able to create clothing with superb fit and great style.
What will make Kenneth Cole the next mega brand in fashion?
We will continue to look for meaningful partnerships that will build brand recognition and take Kenneth Cole to the next level. Fall 2002 will introduce men’s and women’s fragrance and children’s sportswear.
What is the shoe of the future? How would you envision the look of shoes years from now?
As technology becomes more advanced the designs of my clothing and shoes will evolve too.