“I'm sure some people haven't necessarily embraced some of the messages over the years. We've been talking about the inappropriateness of automatic weapons and guns since the late Eighties. I know we've lost some customers over the years, and in some ways, secured others.”

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.