Designer Kenneth Cole speaks at SMU Q&A

By JASON SHEELER, Dallas Morning News - Designer, cause advocate and pun maker Kenneth Cole – note his "awearness" campaign – took part in SMU's Tate Lecture Series Q&A Tuesday.

Moderated by the president of the class of 2010, Bailey Holyfield, and with an audience of more than 150 high school and college students, the 45-minute session allowed Cole to speak directly to the young people who are the focus of his advertising.

The questions included: Where are your clothes manufactured? (Asia.) Have you ever stood for a cause that negatively affected your business? ("We've gained more than we've lost.") Do you regret not going to law school? ("No.")

An opening question to the audience by Brad Cheves, SMU vice president for development and external affairs, offered a sign that perhaps his clothing and accessories aren't reaching young people, at least not Tuesday's audience.

"How many of you have a Kenneth Cole item in your wardrobe?" Cheves asked, just before Cole took the dais. About 20 hands were meekly raised. Undeterred, Cheves carried on. "Isn't that amazing? We've all been impacted in some way."