September 6, 2008



Nassau, Bahamas - Owen Bethel, President of Mode Îles, Ltd., founder and organizer of Islands of the World Fashion Week, announced today that the Humanitarian Designer Award will be presented to Kenneth Cole and Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc. during Islands of the World Fashion Week in November, 2008.

Mr. Bethel stated that "in keeping with the event's focus on the global issues of the education of youth on HIV/AIDS, and poverty alleviation , in line with the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ), it was felt that no other fashion designer personified so explicitly the concern for these issues through their creative integration in his designs and marketing initiative than Kenneth Cole. His innovative approach to addressing and drawing attention to the issues is both outstanding and poignant.

Mr. Cole took the bold step as a vanguard in the fashion industry and essentially turned his label into an effective educational tool on the scourge of HIV/AIDS, calling everyone to action in the fight against the pandemic . He has also stood out in the fight against poverty with his initiatives in the inner city of New York. Mr. Cole has allowed both his label and stores to be used without reservation in getting the message across." In 2007 the New York stores served as a distribution point for the first ever city-sanctioned condoms, commonly known as the NYC Condom, in the United States of America. The launch of this city-wide condom initiative was paralleled with the release of a new line of tee shirts and boxer shorts designed by Kenneth Cole. Each contained a condom-size pocket and a discreet woven label with the tagline written by Kenneth Cole and reading: "Safety Instructions: This Garment And its Contents Should Be Worn Whenever Conceivable." In 2005 he was instrumental in the launch of the "We All Have AIDS " public service promotional campaign during World AIDS Day . ...

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