Kenneth Cole Appoints Creative Director

Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. (New York) has named Ingo Wilts to the newly created role of creative director, effective August 1. Wilts, who was previously senior vp and creative director for Hugo Boss, will report to Kenneth Cole, chairman and chief creative officer. He will oversee design, design services and visual merchandising of all product classifications within the Kenneth Cole New York and Kenneth Cole Reaction brands.

Cole will maintain his current role as the creative visionary behind the brand, product and advertising, while continuing to focus on bigger strategic opportunities. “We recognized a need for a strong and experienced design leader who can focus 100 percent of his time on product, which we are sure will bring better uniformity and consistency across all categories,” says Cole. “Ingo has an impressive track record and brings extraordinary experience as both a creative director and a leader.”

In his new role, Wilts will direct all aspects of product design and will lead the apparel, footwear and accessory design teams.Last year, Cole announced a new era for the company and appointed Jill Granoff as chief executive officer. “Adding Ingo as our first creative director to partner with me and our strong management team is another important step in positioning the company to achieve even greater success in the future,” he says.

Kenneth Cole Productions designs, sources and markets a broad range of footwear, handbags, apparel and accessories under the brand names Kenneth Cole New York, Kenneth Cole Reaction, Unlisted and Le Tigre, as well as footwear under the proprietary trademark Gentle Souls. Products are sold at department stores, better specialty stores, company-owned retail stores and the company’s e-commerce website.