Cole Control

DESIGNER Kenneth Cole is poised to retake complete control of his namesake label, after the company's board approved his offer to acquire the 54 per cent of shares that he doesn't currently own at a rate of $15.25 a share. Cole will acquire the remaining shares through KCP Holdco Inc, a company that he formed for the purposes of the acquisition. Analysts told WWD earlier this month that the company is likely to fare better as a private entity than a public one, but couldn't rule out a repeat IPO further down the line when markets improve. Cole - who is known for his philanthropy, having founded AIDS charity amfAR in 1985, as well as his controversial marketing campaigns - launched a new high-end label in March, repositioning the brand in the market.









LAUREN MILLIGAN 07 June 2012
http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2012/06/07/kenneth-cole-buys-shares-of-namesake-label-control