Renowned American designer Kenneth Cole has been at the forefront of the fashion world for more than 25 years. Based in New York, Cole is now designing exclusive womenswear, menswear and accessory collections for House of Fraser.

Q. How did you get into fashion design and what was your inspiration?

A. Initially I didn’t plan to go into fashion as I’d always wanted to play baseball for the New York Mets. I was on my way to law school when I decided to spend some time working for my father at a women’s shoe factory. A month into the job and I was hooked!

Suddenly I found myself considering a very different career journey – in women’s footwear no less! I knew when I founded Kenneth Cole Productions that if I hadn’t done it at that exact moment in time then I probably never would have.

Q. Describe your philosophy about the art of fashion.

A. I’ve come to realise that my job is really to inspire the consumer taking them from desire to purchase. I used to think that my job as a fashion designer was to decide exactly what consumers ‘should’ be wearing or what they would look good in, but over the years I’ve discovered they know what they want and what they think looks good. My job is to give it to them, but not how they expect it.

Q. As a famous American designer, how did you first get involved in your collaboration with House of Fraser?

A. There was a natural synergy in partnering with House of Fraser. We are an iconic New York brand and House of Fraser an iconic British store. I was impressed at the wide range of aspirational shopping destinations House of Fraser could offer us in making our UK debut.

We successfully launched men’s formalwear with them back in 2008, and based on this success they decided to invest in the complete Kenneth Cole Lifestyle by buying nearly all product categories from high-heeled shoes to handbags.

Q. What excites you about designing collections exclusively for House of Fraser?

A. The British have a very specific look and wonderful way of wearing fashion. As an American designer I welcome any opportunity to be considered as a credible alternative in their wardrobe choices.

Q. Do you spend a lot of time in England now? What do you like about it?

A. I don’t spend nearly as much time as I would like to. I travel to England a few times a year and every time I visit, I feel welcomed and inspired by London which is such a great city.

Q. Can you explain the key differences in designing for both men and women and then onto accessories?

A. What we are taught to do as designers is to put ourselves in our customers’ shoes. When I started designing menswear I was literally able to put myself in my own shoes, so perhaps to begin with it may have been easier designing for men.

At the end of the day, however, designing for both men and women is quite similar. We have a metropolitan customer that aspires to be cool, confident and clever. We check to see what our customers really need in their wardrobe and what is not available to them outside our brand. From there we create pieces that reflect those needs.

We seek to consistently offer them updated iconic as well as modern wardrobe alternatives.

Q. What has been your inspiration for spring/summer 2010?

A. Our inspiration for the collections came from a trip across Europe. The result was a collection designed for an international consumer. The world is getting smaller, and for those who aren’t physically mobile, almost everyone seems to be virtually connected as well as inspired today.

You will see a modern take on rugged military inspired dressing, but also notes of relaxed elegance. There’s a focus on mixing opposites to create a modern look – short and long proportions, matte and sheen, tough and romantic.

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