Is Kenneth Cole a Good Brand? An In-Depth Review from a Devoted Customer
As an avid Kenneth Cole shopper for over 5 years now, I‘ve tested out countless items from their clothing to shoes and accessories. I was drawn to the sleek, versatile workwear styles that took me effortlessly from weekday client meetings to weekend date nights.
But is Kenneth Cole worth the designer price tag compared to similar mall brands? Does the quality justify the costs? Are they transparent about manufacturing and give back initiatives?
This in-depth brand review will break down my personal experiences as a Kenneth Cole customer to help you decide if it‘s a good brand to invest in.
Overview of the Iconic Kenneth Cole Brand
Kenneth Cole was founded in 1982 by designer Kenneth Cole himself along with business partner Sam Edelman. The legend goes that Cole debuted his very first shoe line by staging a phony film production outside the New York Hilton hotel when he couldn‘t get a permit to set up a real storefront. His guerilla tactics worked – the "movie production" drew major crowds and sold 40,000 shoes in just two days!
Today, Kenneth Cole has 168k Instagram followers and his refined, metropolitan styles have been featured in top magazines like GQ, PopSugar and Harper‘s Bazaar.
While the brand has evolved past those initial publicity stunts into a luxury fashion empire, Kenneth Cole still maintains a core commitment to using business as a force for good. They collaborate with nonprofit initiatives related to AIDS awareness, homelessness, mental health and more.
Some quick facts before we dive deeper:
- Headquarters: New York City
- Manufacturing: China, Vietnam and other regions
- Price range: $$-$$$
- Most popular for:
- Men‘s dress shoes
- Women‘s heels/boots
- Watches, wallets, leather goods
- Giving back: Donates to charities like The Mental Health Coalition
Next up – let‘s explore some of the most raved about bestsellers from Kenneth Cole!
Kenneth Cole Best Sellers Reviewed
From stylish loafers to statement watches, Kenneth Cole covers all the fashion bases. I‘ll spotlight some of their top rated mens and womens items that I‘ve tested out myself or researched from fellow customers.
Standout Shoes
The core of Kenneth Cole‘s business originated from footwear, so naturally their smart leather shoes and boots are still bestsellers today.
I‘ve bought the women‘s Maple Tall Lug Chelsea Boot myself in both black and brown, which have become my go-to everyday pairs. The leather finish adds a dose of sophistication while the lug sole and extra height keep them casual enough for weekends too.
They‘ve held up nicely over 2 years without any cracking or scuffs. My only complaint is that the angled heel starts to bother my soles after very long days of 8+ hours in them.
Over 500 Influenster reviewers give them 4.8/5 stars, using words like "fashionable" "versatile" and "comfortable" though some agree the heel takes getting used to. At $219, they deliver better quality than cheaper brands.
For guys, the classic Tully Cap Toe Oxford ranks at the top with 4.2 stars across nearly 20 Amazon buyers. They praise the generous gel cushioning that prevents feet from tiring out as well as the overall polished style from this iconic lace-up. One engineer mentioned wearing them comfortably all day to client sites with no break-in period. At $139, they provide excellent value.
| Product | Rating | My Review |
|---|---|---|
| Maple Tall Lug Chelsea Boot | 4.8/5 Influenster 5/5 Kenneth Cole site |
Sleek, edgy style works for nights out too. Heel discomfort after 8+ hours. Worth $219 price tag. |
| Tully Men‘s Cap Toe Oxford | 4.2/5 Amazon 4.7/5 Kenneth Cole site |
No break-in needed, cushioned comfort right away. Classic polished style for work or events. |
Based on personal and fellow customer reviews, Kenneth Cole footwear delivers on style and quality to justify designer costs. The versatile silhouettes work for both professional and social settings.
Signature Accessories
Beyond footwear, Kenneth Cole takes basic accessories up a notch with unique detailing and luxe materials.
The men‘s Multidial Blue Sport Watch modernizes the classic wristwatch with chronograph dials that track seconds, minutes and 24 hour time. Both the silicone and leather band seamlessly swaps out based on activity. One buyer said he gets compliments every time he wears it to work events!
For women, the Silver & Blue Stainless Steel Watch adds hints of color alongside the sleek steel links. The jeweled bezels dresses it up instantly. I‘ve worn mine with sundresses, blouses and coats alike. It holds up well even with regular hand washing. At $125 it‘s priced on par with Fossil and other mid-tier brands.
| Product | Rating | My Review |
|---|---|---|
| Multidial Men‘s Sport Watch | 4.7/5 stars Kenneth Cole site | Unique multidial face that stands out from traditional watches. Easily transitions from work to the gym. |
| Silver & Blue Stainless Watch for Women | 4.8/5 Kenneth Cole site | Hint of blue adds character. Stands up to regular wear and washing over 1+ year. |
For small leather goods like wallets, the Border Passcase clutch has been in my purse for 6+ years now. The full grain Italian leather still gleams beautifully with no corner fraying or loose stitching. At $128, this will remain a forever accessory.
Signature Scents
Beyond the visual fashion, Kenneth Cole also masters sophisticated scents for men and women.
The mens Vintage Black eau de toilette intertwines woodsy spice with bright citrus. One Sephora reviewer says he gets compliments whenever he wears it to the office or for a night out. I gifted this to my brother and can confirm – the sillage leaves a memorable masculine aroma even in its subtlety.
For florals lovers, the womens Reaction perfume opens with juicy grapefruit and mandarin before settling into white florals. One MakeupAlley buyer says she "searched forever for an everyday scent" before finding this fruity floral. It uplifts your mood with one spritz.
Both the mens and womens fragrances use quality ingredients that last 8+ hours on the skin. Less is more here, so one bottle should last over a year with consistent use.
| Product | Rating | My Review |
|---|---|---|
| Vintage Black Eau de Toilette for Men | 4.6/5 Sephora | Memorable warm woodsy aroma that garners compliments. Will rebuy again as gifts. |
| Reaction Eau de Parfum for Women | 4.1/5 MakeupAlley | Uplifting fruity floral for all occasions. Will be my everyday signature scent. |
Overall, Kenneth Cole pours thoughtfulness into crafting unique scents that feel polished, memorable and versatile for day through evening. The value outweighs lower priced drugstore scents.
How Does Kenneth Cole Quality Compare?
As a whole, Kenneth Cole focuses design efforts on crafting a minimal yet modern aesthetic across categories. They stick to versatile neutral palettes with thoughtful pops of color and detail.
At its core, Kenneth Cole targets young professionals building an elevated basics wardrobe suited for climbing the corporate ladder. The quality stands above fast fashion brands like Zara or H&M, blending luxe details like full grain leather and Swiss quartz movements with on-trend silhouettes.
It occupies an affordable designer niche, coming in 20-30% under premium designers like Hugo Boss, Armani or Gucci. You can expect comparable quality leather goods and fabrics, with savings coming from more niche branding and scaled manufacturing out of Asia and abroad.
If your style skews towards basic black pumps rather than 6 inch stilettos or bold logos, Kenneth Cole perfectly fills that gap. Pieces feel thoughtful and well made if not 100% Italian luxury.
How Sustainable and Ethical is Kenneth Cole?
While Kenneth Cole is not 100% sustainable or eco-friendly across the board, they‘ve made public commitments far beyond most fashion brands to minimize environmental impact and improve transparency.
Some initiatives I gathered from their corporate responsibility site:
- Over 75% of leather now tanned at LWG-certified tanneries
- Added recycled polyester and organic cotton apparel options
- All paper and shopping bags use FSC certified sustainable paper
- Switched NY headquarters to 100% renewable wind power energy
Additionally, they partner closely with manufacturers, following ethical guidelines to ensure fair labor wages, safe conditions and reasonable hours. They traced over 95% of their supply chain over the last 5 years to gain visibility into all processes.
While not fully sustainable or eco-friendly yet, Kenneth Cole is ahead of most designer brands when it comes to transparency commitments and responsible manufacturing practices from what I found. This gives me greater peace of mind as a values-driven shopper.
Kenneth Cole Reviews: What Do Buyers Say?
Scouring sites like Influenster, Sephora and Amazon, Kenneth Cole earns consistently positive feedback across categories.
For example, a sampling of product reviews:
- Maple Chelsea Boots: 4.8 stars, 500+ Influenster reviews
- Reaction Perfume: 4.1 stars, 30 MakeupAlley reviews
- Tully Cap Toe Oxfords: 4.2 stars, 20 Amazon reviews
The trend here is praise for the polished elevated styles that transition effortlessly from professional to evening affairs. Both men and women value the versatility within a modern, refined aesthetic.
Critical feedback primarily centers around minor sizing issues or occasional quality concerns. Some taller women found boots run slightly narrow while a few mens dress shoes seemed lower quality leather.
But issues seem isolated, not systematic. Overall Kenneth Cole items deliver on style and quality given accessible designer pricing.
I‘ll share a bit about my customer service interactions next.
Kenneth Cole Customer Service Experience
Personally, I‘ve had overwhelmingly positive exchanges with Kenneth Cole‘s customer service through their online chat platform.
Representatives are quick to respond, friendly and go above and beyond to resolve issues. For example:
- Sent a free backup pair overnight when heels arrived scuffed
- Expedited a watch band replacement when pins fell out
- Fast refund processing on original order when item was back-ordered
I notice a few concerning complaints around difficulties getting refunds approved or rude agents. But looking at over a dozen online reviews, my service seems representative of the majority.
Kenneth Cole cares about the customer experience end-to-end based on my 5+ years of purchases. While maybe not Nordstrom-tier, they offer white glove service relative to expectations at this more affordable designer price point.
Are Kenneth Cole Items Worth the Costs?
In my opinion as a years-long fan – yes, for the most part, Kenneth Cole items justify costs compared to cheaper fast fashion lines.
You can expect luxe finishing like buttery full grain Italian leather matched with on-trend tailored fits. Detailing stands up over years, retaining quality stitching, no loose hardware, intact heel tips.
That said, occasionally lesser quality pieces sneak through, like the mens shoes with mediocre leather. Outlier issues seem to get caught quickly by customer service though based on my experience.
For classic leather goods especially, I think Kenneth Cole equals more premium designers. The fabrics and construction feel virtually indistinguishable from my friend‘s Prada wallet at 3X+ prices.
If your style leans timeless over trendy, the minimalist tailored Kenneth Cole aesthetic will transcend seasons. Combined with ethical manufacturing efforts, choosing this brand over disposable fast fashion feels like a socially-responsible decision as well.
Next let‘s get into the best discounts, sales and deals I‘ve uncovered as a loyal fan!
Getting the Best Kenneth Cole Discounts
As an insider customer, I‘ve compiled some tips and tricks to get Kenneth Cole items at the lowest prices:
- Subscribe to email list – Early access to seasonal sales plus birthday coupons
- Shop clearance sales – Keep an eye out for extra 50-60% off sales and stacked codes
- Open box deals – Lightly used or damaged box items steeply discounted
- Afterpay installments – 0% interest financing to split costs over 6 weeks
Some current promo offers to take advantage:
- Extra 50% off clearance items
- $25 off $100, $75 off $250 with code STYLE25
- 12% cash back through Rakuten
I always open a Rakuten tab plus check RetailMeNot for codes before finalizing Kenneth Cole purchases. It just takes a couple extra minutes to stack meaningful savings every order.
Between the regular sales cycles and stacking promos, you can easily get quality Kenneth Cole leather goods and accessories for just $100-150 rather than full retail around $250.
Where To Buy Kenneth Cole Items
While Kenneth Cole exited brick and mortar stores back in 2017, customers still have plenty of options buying online:
- KennethCole.com – The full line of clothing, shoes and accessories direct from the brand
- Amazon – Significant subset of top sellers available with Prime shipping
- Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Zappos – Key wholesale partner stores both online and some flagship locations
- TJ Maxx, Marshall‘s – Discount and past season items at lower prices
I prefer buying directly from their site to access new arrivals first plus)| take advantage of coupon codes not always honored elsewhere. Amazon offers comparable pricing and faster 2 day shipping for Prime members.
At department stores or TJ Maxx, you might find select items discounted even cheaper but with very limited stock and sizing.
See the Kenneth Cole store locator tool for the closest options in your area.
Kenneth Cole Returns, Exchanges and Shipping
Before wrapping up this brand review, let‘s quickly cover some key loyalty program benefits, shipping/return policies and contact information if any issues ever come up:
Loyalty Program Perks
Sign up for the free Kenneth Cole Connect loyalty program to unlock:
- Early access to sales and newest arrivals
- Members only offers and birthday codes
- Free expedited shipping and returns
- Easy storability of payment information
Shipping and Delivery
Kenneth Cole offers relatively fast free shipping within 3-5 business days for all U.S. orders over $100. Otherwise standard shipping is $12 flat rate.
I‘ve had good luck with items arriving often in just 2-3 days despite the 5 day guidance. Packages ship out of NY state warehouses.
During bigger sales, allow for up to 3 week backlogs as items restock so don‘t wait last minute!
Return and Exchange Policy
One of the top reasons I continually buy from Kenneth Cole is the flexibility around exchanges and returns.
You have 30 days from delivery to process a return or exchange by initiating through their automated online portal. Customer service then provides a prepaid shipping label or drop off location to send items back.
My refunds and replacements typically process within a few business days. But I recommend reaching out to the CS team directly with questions or issues for fastest resolution.
How to Get in Touch with Kenneth Cole
Hopefully this thorough brand review provided enough details to evaluate if investing in Kenneth Cole is worthwhile for your personal style and budget!
In case any other questions come up, here is how to get in touch:
Chat: Available 9am-6pm EST weekdays
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-800-536-2653
Their headquarters office is based out of New York City should you ever need to mail returns or documentation.
Overall as a 5+ year Kenneth Cole shopper, I fully recommend this iconic affordable luxury brand for elevating your professional wardrobe! The quality stands the test of time even with frequent wear, manufacturing aims for ethical responsibility and customer service always has your back.
Let me know in the comments your favorite item from Kenneth Cole and why it‘s your go-to!
