Wear his heart is

Kenneth Cole has inspired people to look snazzy for 25 years. Now, the designer known for his pun-filled, activist ad campaigns and HIV/AIDS work hopes to push his customers toward a new cause - volunteering. In a flashy new book, "Awearness: Inspiring Stories About How to Make a Difference," Cole has collected 86 essays from luminaries as varied as former president Bill Clinton, Elton John, Ludacris, and Jon Bon Jovi. Each chapter - organized around themes such as homelessness and poverty and criminal justice - includes "how to" and "where to" tips to learn more about an issue. All proceeds go to Cole's Awearness Fund, which promotes volunteerism. We talked to the king of shoes and bags about his passion for rallying the troops.

Q. This book spotlights so many fascinating people. How did you find them?

A. Initially, it was just going to be a few interviews. But . . . with each person, other inspiring stories came. Those nine people became 90 people. At some point, they said, 'Ken, you have to stop. You're going to miss your deadline.' But the project lives on, online.

Q. Kenneth Cole is known for its controversial and funny ad campaigns. When did you decide to use your company for social change?

A. I kind of found myself here. I started the business in 1983, and in 1985, we did a public service campaign for AIDS. And nobody was speaking about AIDS in 1985. If you did, people assumed you were at risk. And I was a single, male designer, so you know what people thought. But we did it, and it transformed me.

Q. Were you motivated by a personal loss?

A. Friends and associates, someone close to me passed away a few years later. Some iconic individuals . . . had passed away. The notion that nobody could talk about it was staggering.

Q. You've taken up all kinds of controversial issues. Do you get a lot of backlash?

A. We ran an ad the day after the election. We put up a billboard on the Westside Highway [in Manhattan] that said, "A precedent we can be proud of. Congratulations Barack Obama." Some people complained it was political, but it was after the election. It's a social message. I think whether they voted for him or not, people realize these are transformative times.

Q. You don't mind mixing it up, do you?

A. I welcome it. The truth is, I love an intelligent dialogue, and at the end of the day, we're usually careful and thoughtful.

PAYSHA RHONE