{via Broadway World}
Benevolent fashionistas everywhere: prepare your bank accounts.
Fashion designer and social activist, Kenneth Cole, is partnering with the Tony Award winning musical “Kinky Boots” on the launch of a limited-edition shoe collection. The shoes are set to arrive in stores this holiday season and 100% of net profits will be donated to AWEARNESS, The Kenneth Cole Foundation in support of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans.
Cole consulted with costume designer Gregg Barnes and designed the red high heel pump featured in the opening act of “Kinky Boots,” and now that same sassy shoe will be available in a variety of colors. Also available are two versions of a knee-high boot – one in black and white leopard, and one in black patent – both with red zipper detailing, and a red patent leather insole and heel. All three styles will feature a “Kinky Boots by Kenneth Cole” logo embossed on the sole. In short: these shoes are fierce.
The Kinky Boots collection will retail from $150-$400 and will be sold at Kenneth Cole stores, Kennethcole.com, as well as select department stores in December. And if you’ve seen “Kinky Boots” be sure to save that ticket stub! Kenneth Cole is offering a 20% shopping discount to any customer presenting a “Kinky Boots” ticket stub at Kenneth Cole stores nationwide.
That said, there’s more reasons to see the show than just the discount you get at the end of the ticket stub rainbow. People love it – a lot. It took home six 2013 Tony® Awards, the most of any show this season, including Best Musical, Best Score (Cyndi Lauper), Best Choreography (Jerry Mitchell), Best Actor (Billy Porter), Best Orchestrations (Stephen Oremus), and Best Sound Design (John Shivers). The show also received the Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, and Broadway.com Awards for Best Musical, along with many other accolades.
For Cole, the show resonated on many different levels. Just as the main character of the Broadway show was the son of a shoe store owner, so too was Cole. “It was such an inspiring story, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to collaborate on a shoe collection that makes people look good, and do good by raising funds for HRC,” he said.
If the shoe fits, wear it, we’ve been told. But if it’s for a good cause, you have an even better excuse to buy it in every color.
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Can’t get enough of this story? Watch Billy Porter (who plays Lola in the show) talk with Melissa Harris-Perry on MSNBC about the role, the show, and his experience playing this larger than life New York City drag queen.
