How I Built This with Guy Raz Kenneth Cole: Kenneth Cole
Nov 16, 2020
Kenneth Cole, founder of Kenneth Cole Productions, is a fashion innovator and social activist. He shares the story of launching his shoe business from a truck in Manhattan and how he turned challenges into opportunities. The conversation highlights his bold connection to the AIDS crisis in the '80s through impactful marketing campaigns, navigating retail changes, and the shift to direct-to-consumer sales. Cole discusses adapting to post-COVID consumer needs while emphasizing the importance of social responsibility in fashion.
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Candies Shoes
- While working for his father, Kenneth Cole helped launch a new line of shoes called Candies, targeted at young women.
- They were inspired by Mary Jane-style shoes he and his father found in Europe.
Independent Venture
- Kenneth Cole left his father's business in 1982 due to disagreements, starting his own shoe company.
- His father predicted his return, fueling Kenneth's determination to succeed independently.
Guerrilla Marketing
- Lacking funds for a showroom, Kenneth Cole showcased his first collection in a borrowed 40-foot trailer.
- Posing as a film production company, he secured a permit to park the trailer in Midtown Manhattan during Market Week.
