A Conversation with Kenneth Cole

Footwear runs in the family. Kenneth Cole's father had a shoe manufacturing company in Brooklyn. Cole's brand is also known for the social issues he embraces, from combating HIV/AIDS to calling attention to the stigma of mental illness. The new documentary A Man with Sole looks at how Cole's company took off after he parked a trailer in front of the Hilton Hotel, installed a red carpet and sold 40,000 pairs of shoes in three days. Cole also figured out how to revive his company when the going got tough. I spoke to Kenneth Cole in his Manhattan headquarters about the rewards of being a risk taker. "Now What?" is produced with help from Steve Zimmer, Patrick Emile, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.