Kenneth Cole relaunches women’s apparel

Dive Brief:

• Kenneth Cole is relaunching its ready-to-wear women’s apparel line on Sept. 30, according to a Tuesday press release sent to Fashion Dive.
• The 21-piece collection will be designed, manufactured and distributed in partnership with Kasper Group and is the first under creative director Emily Cole, per the release. Pieces include an oversized moto jacket, outerwear, suiting, textured knits and layering pieces.
• Retail prices will top out at $495, and the line will be available in-store at Nordstrom, as well as in-store and online at Macy’s, and via the Kenneth Cole e-commerce platform.

Dive Insight:

American sportswear is trending right now, if the shows at September’s New York Fashion Week are any indication. The Kenneth Cole brand, which has created contemporary basics for more than 40 years, is well-poised to capitalize on the moment.

Designer Emily Cole, daughter of company founder Kenneth Cole, was appointed executive vice president, women’s creative director and product strategy in July after joining the company in 2022, according to a separate press release sent to Fashion Dive.

“This collection is much more than just a line of clothing, it is meant to stand for the women who do everything, who care deeply about the world around them, and who want to feel like they are part of a brand that really sees them and feels the same way,” Emily Cole said in the release. “I truly believe that the pieces in the collection and the campaign are a reflection of what women’s daily lives are like today and will help to propel the brand into the future.”

An advertising campaign for the collection features actor Ariana DeBose photographed by Cass Bird and is designed to “encourage women to use their voices and keep up the momentum in the fight for change and equality,” per the release.

The “brand’s decades of dedication to social impact and advocacy coupled with this campaign’s theme of female empowerment resonates deeply” with DeBose, she said in the release, and the collection embodies the confidence and resilience “that all women need to have, especially during this crucial time.”

The company has long been involved in raising social awareness, and Kenneth Cole said his daughter was committed to that directive.

“I am … proud of her commitment to social impact; her continued passion to be addressing and impacting important human rights agendas inspires me every day,” Kenneth Cole said in the release. “It is only fitting that the brand is relaunching womenswear during a pivotal time, the collection feels empowering to all women, and the campaign shares an important message.”

Kenneth Cole, which is privately owned, previously entered into a sportswear licensing agreement with Global Brands in 2016. However, that company’s U.S. business filed for bankruptcy in 2021. 

Meanwhile, Kenneth Cole shuttered all but two of its U.S. stores in 2016. The company’s products are currently sold through its e-commerce platform and through third-party retailers and better specialty stores, per the release.