Kenneth Cole Uses Syrian Attack To Promote Kenneth Cole Products

He is a vile, vile man:

No war — or impending US military strike — is beyond  Kenneth Cole’s tasteless humor!

With Congress weighing President Obama’s recommendation to  bomb Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, the famed fashionista urges consumers to attack shoe store shelves.

Cole tweeted: “Boots on the ground’ or not, let’s not forget about sandals, pumps and loafers. #Footwear”

It’s not the first time, Cole has enjoyed a laugh over civilian slaughter.

When Egyptians finally stood up to strongman Hosni Mubarak during violent clashes in February, 2011, Cole had spring fashion in mind.

“Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online,” Cole tweeted back then.

On his verified Twitter feed, Cole described himself as a “Designer, Aspiring Humanitarian, Frustrated Activist, Social Networker In training.”

You may remember when Cole took out a billboard ad along the West Side Highway criticizing teachers:

Kenneth Cole, the designer, has long been known for his topical slogans that use puns to promote his shoes, clothing and accessories. Among other places, the advertisements loom over the West Side Highway at 125th Street on a giant billboard, grabbing the attention of anyone zooming (or, too often, crawling) down the highway along the Hudson River.

At first glance, the latest billboard looked innocent enough: Next to a model dressed in a bright red pantsuit, the sign asks, "Shouldn't Everyone Be Well Red?" But beneath that slogan, in smaller type, as Gotham Schools reported last week, the sign said, "Teachers' Rights vs. Students' Rights ..." and directed viewers to wheredoyoustand.com, a Cole Web site that entertains discussion on topical issues stirred up by his ads.

That set off a fury, Gotham reported, as some accused the company of pitting teachers against students, and there were calls for a boycott:

This weekend teachers and advocates responded, in a flurry of posts on Facebook, Twitter and blogs, and a petition 600 signatures strong, calling for a boycott of Cole’s clothing company. Even national union leader Randi Weingarten waded into the fray with Twitter posts criticizing the company, which is headed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s brother-in-law.

On Monday, the designer's firm relented, Gotham Schools reported:

“We misrepresented the issue – one too complex for a billboard – and are taking it down,” the company posted from its Twitter account, @KennethCole.

While Cole has all sorts of fun with his advertising and Twitter account, simultaneously promoting his products and making fun of war and teachers and stuff like that, the poor people who make some of his crap literally die in sweat shops, partly because the union organizers who were trying to bring safety and work protections to laborers were murdered by the sweat shop owners Cole works with.

I'll say it once again - Kenneth Cole is a vile, vile man.