Kenneth Cole Productions Inc announced that it has appointed Jill Granoff, an accomplished executive for both specialty retail and wholesale businesses, as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

Ms. Granoff will assume primary responsibility for domestic and international operations including the Company's retail, wholesale, and licensing businesses and the related support functions. Kenneth Cole will continue as the Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, retaining creative control over brand positioning, product, design, and advertising.

Ms. Granoff will report to Mr. Cole and join the Company's Board of Directors. Her start date will be May 5th. This move allows Mr. Cole to focus on brand and product development and the company's bigger picture strategic opportunities, while Ms. Granoff runs the day-to-day business.

Mr. Cole said, "We are extremely excited to have Jill on our team. She has a great track record of building brands, and I look forward to working with her and leveraging her strategic and operational capabilities to improve all aspects of our Company."

Mr. Cole continued, "It is a new era for me and the Company. I am confident that having an executive of Jill's stature and abilities, to partner with me and our strong management team, will allow the company to achieve even greater successes in its next chapter."

Ms. Granoff was most recently at Liz Claiborne Inc. where she was the Executive Vice President of Direct Brands. She was responsible for the key growth engines at Liz Claiborne with global oversight for Juicy Couture, Lucky Brand Jeans, Kate Spade and the company's Outlet stores and E-Commerce businesses. Prior to joining Liz Claiborne, Ms. Granoff was President and Chief Operating Officer of Victoria's Secret Beauty.

During her tenure, she helped double sales from $500 million to nearly $1 billion, making Victoria's Secret Beauty one of the leading specialty retailers of fragrances and cosmetics in the United States. Previously, Ms. Granoff worked at The Estee Lauder Companies following several years as a management consultant specializing in strategic planning and organization development.

Ms. Granoff commented, "I feel privileged to have the opportunity to work with Kenneth and the management team to realize the extraordinary potential of this global lifestyle brand. I am particularly excited to help build upon the strong brand heritage while helping to drive new growth initiatives in the retail and international arenas."

Kenneth Cole Productions is celebrating its 25th year anniversary and is recognized worldwide as a leading fashion brand of women's, men's and children's apparel, shoes and accessories. Retail sales of company developed and licensed Kenneth Cole products are estimated at $1.5 billion globally with distribution in over 64 countries.