Cole Haan is an American brand specializing in footwear and accessories for men and women. Established in 1928 in Chicago, Illinois, the company has evolved from a men's footwear label to a global brand offering a range of products. As of 2023, Cole Haan operates over 500 stores worldwide and maintains dual headquarters in New York City and Greenland, New Hampshire.[3]
The company name comes from founders Trafton Cole and Eddie Haan, and was originally named “Cole, Rood & Haan” when the company was strictly a men's footwear label. Today it offers many products, including men's and women's dress and casual footwear, belts, hosiery, handbags, gloves, scarves, hats, outerwear, and sunglasses.
Cole Haan was sold to a group of partners headed by George Denney in 1975. These executives built upon the foundation established by Cole and Haan over the following decade, transforming the label into one of the leading U.S. footwear brands. They launched a retail division in 1982, which comprised 40 plus stores worldwide and cumulative annual sales of nearly $70 million by 1996.[4]
Nike, Inc. purchased Cole Haan in 1988. During Nike's ownership tenure, Cole Haan produced a number of experimental designs and achieved critical acclaim. In 2004, creative director Gordon Thompson III received the Accessory Designer of the Year from the Accessories Council.[5] Nike announced on May 31, 2012, that it was divesting Cole Haan and Umbro to focus on the Nike brand and other complementary brands.[6][7]
Cole Haan was bought by private equity firm Apax Partners Worldwide LLP for $570 million on November 16, 2012.[8] Since then the brand has its headquarters in Greenland, New Hampshire, and its design center in New York City. Jack A. Boys is its current CEO.[9]
The Cole Haan Maine headquarters relocated from Yarmouth to Scarborough in summer 2011.[10] In October 2013 it was announced that the headquarters would relocate to Greenland, New Hampshire.[11] The company made plans for an initial public offering in 2021, but withdrew those plans after economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]
Retail stores
Cole Haan has over 300 stores with numerous locations in the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East. Cole Haan has one store in South Africa, and other than one location in Istanbul, does not have any other locations in Europe, nor any in Australia and New Zealand.[13] Cole Haan sells its products worldwide through its own website and websites operated by international distribution partners.[2]
On February 25, 2008, the company announced it would discontinue using real animal fur in its products for business and sustainability reasons.[15]
Collaborations
Cole Haan has collaborated with a range of designers, artists, and brands to release limited-edition collections. Notable collaborations include:
Hiroshi Fujiwara / fragment design: In 2024, Cole Haan partnered with Japanese designer Hiroshi Fujiwara and his label fragment design to release a limited-edition footwear collection featuring minimalist updates to classic loafers.[16]
Byrdie Golf Social Wear: In 2023, Cole Haan and Byrdie Golf Social Wear collaborated on a capsule golf collection tailored for women, blending performance with retro-inspired aesthetics.[17]
Sophia Chang: Illustrator Sophia Chang partnered with Cole Haan in 2023 on a colorful footwear and accessories collection highlighting her vibrant design motifs.[18]
PHANTACi: Taiwanese streetwear brand PHANTACi worked with Cole Haan in 2023 to reinterpret classic silhouettes with neon accents.[19]
Russ Pope: Artist Russ Pope collaborated with Cole Haan to customize the Grand Ambition Backpack with cityscape illustrations in 2023.
emmi: Cole Haan and Japanese brand emmi created a sustainable Generation ZERØGRAND II sneaker in 2022.
Staple Pigeon: Cole Haan and Jeff Staple released an urban outdoor-themed ZERØGRAND collection in 2022.[20]
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