Kenneth Cole's Spring/Summer 2011 line appeals to urban professionals aged 22-34. Key items include woven tops made of cotton, linen, and knits. Colors are light with touches of pale purple and green. Clothes are minimalist in style and reasonably priced between $59-299. The brand aims to provide accessible designer fashion for a metropolitan lifestyle.

1. Kenneth Cole S/S 2011
By: Wilson Kong

3. Demographics
Brand Research
Psychographics
kenneth cole Brand Research
The brands specific mission statement is “to appeal to modern fashion conscious
• Age: 22-34 • Shop at Express
consumers who seek accessible designer fashion that reflects a metropolitan
• Gender: Male • Drives a Volkswagen rabbit
lifestyle.” They base themselves on seasonal trends and change their aesthetic
• Marital status: Single/Dating • Watches soccer
someone regularly to do so.
• Reads Details
2011
• Income: Median HH is • Uses hotels.com
$55,665 under the category The brand uses urban décor to define its aesthetic. Very much like John Varva-
• Goes to newest venues
“Bohemian Mix” on tos they like to have the textured wall with wood floor combination, however, on
• Usually speaks more than one
mybestsegments.com for zip the contrast side Kenneth Cole likes to use brighter colors and wants to invite the
language
code 94108. sunlight in. Their stores are brightly lit and color contrast is key.
• Life stage is early to mid career
• Occupation: White collar mix
• College grad
• Rents an apartment
The primary colors of merchandise in the store are white and gray with touches
I visited the Kenneth Cole store near Union Square in San Francisco and San of pale purples and greens. The fabrications I can see are broadcloth and
Francisco shopping center. The union square store has an all glass front center poplin, mostly in 100% cotton from China. I can see that they are also experi-
with black stone work outside. It is very clean cut and emulates masculinity. The menting with linen fabrics in their dress shirts. The suits were all a basic gabar-
interior is three stories. It is a very bright store and on the first floor all the acces- dine from what I can tell and in very light colors. The suits were a mixture of
sories are sold. 100% wool, cotton, or linen. Prices started at $169 but went as high as $298, the
highest price item I saw at the store. The suits themselves were only had lined
The glass cases have their watches on display on pedestals and their leather bags with French tucks holding the lining in place. The clothes are made in Brazil,
are in the window. The floors are a light pine color and the contrast between the Italy, China, South Korea, and Spain.
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black stands and the floor is very striking The stairs are black and hollow in an
industrial manner to show that the brand is urban. The second floor is divided The key items for this brand are their woven tops. Even though Kenneth Cole
into casual clothing and suiting. The top floor is their sale floor with discounted provides suiting, their core competencies seem to lie in clothing that makes
merchandise. transitions from work to evening.
The store in SFC is also a store encompassed with windows and has black trim-
The thing that caught my eye about this store is how bright it all is. The website
mings on the outside. The inside had the same aesthetic as the freestanding
itself has a plain white background with simple details. The front page has a
store, such as the pine floors, and the glass display cases with black frames.
Clothes were minimum quantities here and it was apparent in this store the focus video which alerts viewers to visit their “style guide.” Even though their mission
was their shoes which lined the wall. statement says their brand is for the “style conscious” I guess it did not necessar-
ily mean the style savvy because they have to train their consumer how to dress.
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The company made $410 million dollars in sales last year, but actually had a It does make sense though that since their price range is lower they are also
decrease of 16.6% in sales. The company currently stands at $63.2 million training beginning to mid professionals on how to clean themselves up.
dollars in debt.

4. Competitor Research
kenneth cole Competitor Research
They had pants that were a variety of fabrics such as pinstripe, gabardine, and twill. They were
mostly 100% fiber content of cotton or wool. It was surprising they were still using wool in this
season. Their pants ranged from $68-$150 dollars. They were a mixture of Vietnam and
China for their pants. Most of the pants were regular straight leg or had permanent creases in
For express’ product mix there were a lot of woven tops and slacks. They had a mixture of them.
shorts and some denim, but mostly the store I visited seemed to be focused on work wear. Their
2011
shirts were poplin, pinstripe, plaid, and chambray. They were a mixture of 100% cotton or Blazers were a mixture of 100% fiber or mixes with synthetics such as wool, nylon, or
cotton and spandex. Some had short sleeves, while others had patch pockets with flaps. All had wool/nylon/spandex. They all started at $300 and went as high as $375. They were pinstripe,
plastic button closures and for the shirts with patch pockets they also had flaps that had button gabardine, and twill. All the blazers had patch pockets with flaps, with some having an addi-
closures. Price ranges were from $49.50-$59.50 for their dress shirts. tional welt pocket.
Their t-shirts were made with 100% cotton jersey starting at $19.50. They also had polos that
were made from interlock and pique. These ranged from $34.50 to $44.50 and were 100%
cotton. These were mixture of China and Hong Kong. They also had a mixture of shorts and
pants. They were mostly a mixture of cotton and spandex. The pants were primarily twill
weaves and I am guessing suiting because of the plain weave. Their shorts were plaid or window Theory is the aspirational brand for Kenneth Cole because theory is urban and professional
panel. The pants ranged from $54.50 to $59.50 and were from China. They were pretty basic with very clean cut and tailored work wear. Their clothes start at $65 for a t-shirt to $995 for a
construction flat front pants. leather jacket. Theory clothing is not 100% of any fiber for most fabrics. Their t-shirts are not
even 100% cotton, but are 92% cotton with 8% spandex while others are 65% cotton and 35%
They had blazers which I am guessing is faille but it is described as corded cotton on the website. polyester. Their clothes are made in China, while some surprisingly, are made in the USA.
This was made of a cotton/polyester mix and retails for $178. They also had sateen blazers and a The t-shirts were not. The fabrics were jersey and burn out.
check blazer all for the same price. These were a mixture of cotton/wool and 100% cotton.
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Countries of origin were China. Their dress shirts were poplin, oxford cloth, and shirting. The fiber contents were
cotton/nylon/polyurethane. These shirts all started at $125. They were all basic shirts with
plastic buttons and some had a hidden button placket. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Their pants were a mixture of suiting and twill fabrics. Most were 100% cotton from China.
They were flat front pants that were straight legged. They also had wool pants that were from
Calvin Klein is their other major competitor. Their price ranges from from $58 to $69.50 for all China and had a permanent crease in them. These pants ranged from $195 to $235.
their woven tops. It is a mixture of plaid, ginghams, broadcloth, and poplins. The majority of
them were 100% cotton from Brazil or China, some were a large percent cotton with lastol or Their blazers were starting at $295-$495. They were mostly 100% cotton with one being 96%
spandex. The majority of their shirts did not have pockets, and for those that did they were cotton and 4% lycra. They were suiting fabrics with a plain weave. The cotton was a cotton
patch pockets with button closures. twill for durability. China was the main location for the country of origin for the blazers.
A basic 100% cotton t-shirt from China costs $19.50 from Calvin Klein. Graphic print tees Theory is the aspirational brand for Kenneth Cole because they offer similar aesthetics but at a
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would go as high as $39.50. They also had a large amount of polos available and these were higher price range. Most of their tops also seem to be mixed with synthetics, perhaps for fit, or
made in interlock knit. They were also 100% cotton and were made in China. perhaps to pay less on cotton taxes.

5. kenneth cole
Colbasirc Strsory
o colo
2011
Abyss 426C Cavern 425C Hope 292C Touch Cool Gray 1 C
fashion colors
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Growth 321C Harmony 317C Spirit 5807C Petina 317C Sun 602C Stone 2706C
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6. kenneth cole
Style # KC0002 - Self piping peaked vest $88
Description: Vest with self piping princess seam. Three
button closure with top stitch detailing along collar. Touch
Length CB: 24”
Across chest: 40”
Cotton Twill: 100% Cotton
Sizes: 36-44
2011
Made in China Harmony
Machine wash cold gentle cycle.
Delivery Date: 02/08, 03/04
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Style # KC0001 - Shawl Collar Double Layer Jacket - $158
Description: Jacket with self colored sweater knit shawl and middle placket. Plastic button closure for knit
placket capable of being closed over by zipper. Single flap patch pocket on left breast and single vent in back.
Length CB: 28”
Across chest: 40”
Sleeve length: 26”
Cotton Twill: 100% Cotton / Sweater Knit 100% Cotton
Sizes: 36-44
Made in China
Machine wash cold gentle cycle.
Delivery Date: 02/08, 03/04
Cavern Touch
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7. Style # KC0003 - Linen Raglan T-shirt $48
kenneth cole
Description: Raglan long sleeve T-shirt with self spaghetti
non-functional drawstring detail. Abyss
Length: 27”
Across Chest: 40”
Sleeve length: 26”
Linen: 100% Flax
2011
Made in China
Hope
Machine wash cold, tumble dry regular
Delivery Date: 03/04, 04/07
Spirit
Style # WK0004 - Knit zip up vest $59.50
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Description: Zip up vest with plastic asymmetrical button on square yoke. Rounded collar and flat felled
stitching along armhole.
Length: 27”
Across Chest: 40
Sweater knit: 100% Cotton
Made in China
Dry Clean Only
Delivery Date: 03/04, 04/07
Abyss Hope
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8. Style # KC0005
kenneth cole
Style # KC0006
Deep V cardigan with pockets- $79.50 Patch pocket button up- $88
Description: Full fashion knit cardigan with Description: Knit jersey with self colored tissue
pockets and two plastic buttons. Ribbed hem weight shirting trim around collar and cuffs.
and cuff detail. Length CB: 28”
Sleeve: 26”
Sweater knit - 100% Cotton
Sateen shirting: 98% Cotton 2% Spandex
Length CB: 28”
2011
Made in China
Sleeve: 26” Machine wash cold, Tumble dry low
Made in China Delivery: 02/08, 03/04, 04/07
Machine wash cold, Tumble dry low
Delivery: 02/08, 03/04, 04/07
Touch
Petina
Sun
Touch
Growth
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9. Style # WK0007 - Flat front linen short - $59.50
kenneth cole
Description: Flat front linen shorts with tab closure and slant pockets. Patch pockets in back with
criss cross belt loops..
Inseam: 11”
Rise: 9”
Linen: 100% Flax
Made in China
2011
Machine wash cold, Tumble dry low
Delivery: 02/08, 03/04, 04/07
Stone Harmony
Spirit
Style # KC0008 - Tab closure shirt $69.50
Description: Button up rolled sleeve shirt with snap button and princess seam detailing.
Length CB: 28”
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Sleeve: 14”
Across chest: 40”
Sateen: 98% Cotton 2% Spandex
Made in China
Machine wash cold, Tumble dry low
Delivery: 02/08, 03/04, 04/07
Stone Hope
Abyss
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10. kenneth cole
Style # WK0009 - Tab closure pant- $79.50
Description: Hidden button placket dress shirt with fish eye darts in
back and princess seams. Fitted silhouette and heavy facing inside
collar.
Inseam: 32”
Rise: 9”
2011
Linen: 100% Flax
Made in China
Machine wash cold, Tumble dry low
Delivery: 02/08, 03/04, 04/07
Touch
Cavern
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