“I had left the runway because I had come to believe that it was questionably relevant and appropriate, because we were creating clothes that, to a large degree, never ended up making it to the stores. And the runway was being seen in markets where those clothes weren't available.”

American designer, social activist, business owner, and philanthropist

Kenneth D. Cole is an American designer, social activist, business owner, and philanthropist. He is known for founding Kenneth Cole Productions and building it into a global company. His company makes clothing and other products under the labels Kenneth Cole New York, Reaction Kenneth Cole, and Unlisted, and it also produces footwear under Gentle Souls. Beyond business, Cole is associated with social activism and philanthropy, which form part of his public identity alongside his work in fashion.