"To be aware is more important than what you wear", says Kenneth Cole and we couldn't agree more. The 1996 CFDA Award for Humanitarian Excellence recipient, as been a voice for AIDS awareness since 1985 making him the first in the fashion industry to take a public stand against the disease. This only 3 years after launching his iconic brand. Kenneth Cole's fashion empire now consists of 3 labels: Kenneth Cole New York, Reaction Kenneth Cole and Unlisted.com and offers a wide range of products such as luggage, watches, apparel, hosiery and shoes.
It all started in December 1982, when Cole launched a ladies' footwear collection. Little did we know at the time, this small business would grow to offer over 30 product categories a decade later and make the Forbes annual list of the world's 200 Best Small Companies in America for more than 6 years in a row. Kenneth Cole's products can be found in Asia, North America, South America, the Middle East and Europe in over 20 cities such as Kuwait, Thailand, Peru, Germany and the UK.
Cole's 1996 award was only a stint, he has also received a Media Spotlight Award from Amnesty International, an Extraodinary Voice Award from Mother's Voices, a Humanitarian Leadership Award from the Council on Foundations to only name a few. "What you stand for is more important than what you stand in", says the designer. This is a motto he obviously lives by and which we can all be inspired by.
Love,
Kelie XO
