the first that i did like this was at or about the same time of the aids awareness in the late 1980's. of imelda marcos craziness, the tabloid media went crazy because this woman was known to have 3000 pairs of shoes in her closet. i ran an ad that said, "if mlb marcus truly had 3000 pairs of shoes, she could have had the -- "if imelda marcos

truly at 3000 pairs of shoes, she could've had the courtesy to buy a pair of mine." [laughter] i am constantly contemplating that scenario. in the notion of not being able to convince people, necessarily, and people will not necessarily respond to something because you ask them to. people rarely do. i did a campaign was with a series of statistics. i think you have them here. a couple of them were like three or four people looking into telescopes you're not into astronomy. [laughter] one will say that one in 27 people executed will be in a set. tavis: overtime. >> yes. i am not likely to have gone through to anybody with the idea

of the death penalty. but they are inclined to conceivably rethink their thought process and maybe change their own mind. but it is their own process that change their mind. tavis: you are socially conscious. i have just heard you expand on three or for social issues. but the one that stands at more than all the others, the one that your the most passionate about, it is amfar, hiv/aids. you were one of the first in the fashion industry who were way out front. fashion week is upon us as we speak. you came out early on this issue. why hiv/aids? why are you so vocal? why wrack your brand around it? why are you so connected -- why wrap your brand around it? why are you so connected to it?

>> it was the mid-1980's. there was social consciousness in the 1980's. hands across america, we are the world, lighted, world aid. i wanted to be a part of something meaningful. this was also about world hunger. nobody was talking about -- the most ominous cloud up there was hiv. you could not talk about it. there was a stigma. if you spoke about it, you were perceived to be at risk. that meant that you were either haitian, gay, or an intravenous drug user. i was a single male designer and i thought everyone would assume that i was haitian. [laughter] but i figured, what better opportunity to say something when no one was. ronald reagan did not mention aids publicly until 1987. that was two years later after 80,000 people have already died.

people were devastated already. people have already died. and i knew somebody who was very sick as well. it was just relevant and important. it was the right business message, i felt, for the brand at the time. it became very personal after that. i was afforded the privilege to be part of something that was meaningful and to truly impact people's lives. i was asked to join the board of amfar. there were maybe 18 aids organizations at the time in america. now there is probably 18,000. amfar does research. a cure for aids will come from what amfar does. amfar has made a profound impact. it has helped save the lives of many people everywhere.

the previous chairperson of the board agreed to step down only .f i took over > tavis: you mentioned the impact this had on the fashion industry over the years. i can probably prejudge your answer, given that you were one of the people who pushes this passion in front of us every day. what is the role that passion plays in our lives and whether or not a place too heavy a role? we live in the world consumption. everybody wants to have everybody else has. it is that old notion of "keeping up with the joneses." you guys put the stuff in front of us and everybody wants to have it. we'd look like a bunch of automatons. we all wear the same thing and look the same way. in your own words, what is the impact that fashion has in our

lives every day? >> i make those documents every day -- i make both arguments today. it is relevant and hardly relevant at all. in the first case, you wicked in the morning and you make a very critical decision of how you will -- you wake up in the morning and you make a very critical decision of how you will present yourself that day. many do not get to know much about two other than how you choose to present yourself. it is say crucial moment that you take. it is unedited, unfiltered, and you have absolute control of how you want to be in people's minds for that moment in time. and there are guys who say, kenneth, that fashion guy, and they will look at the shoes and they make them feel better. that is fine. but that is as big a statement as any. that is ok. people are on their way.

but you should take a few moments and think about that moment. and if you're sick and you cannot feed your family, it does not matter. so it is also not important. i remind my associates every day that no one needs what we sell. if every store in america closed its stores tomorrow, america could go barefoot -- america would not go barefoot for 20 years. we have plenty of clothes to wear. at the end of the day, if we make what we do part of something bigger than it is, it somehow becomes more important. that is also what goes back to what we were talking about earlier. it comes for circle -- it comes full circle. tavis: you are a doting father,

i am told. you have three girls. we know that you are married to a cuo daughter. that means one brother-in-law is the governor of new york -- is the mayor of new york -- is the governor of new york. you guys are very influential and socially conscious. >> they are all great in their own right. maria's father is extraordinary. he was new york's governor for 16 years ago for three terms. christopher is extraordinary, there to kill it. he has a wonderful way of powerfully articulating.

i am now jokingly referred to as a governor-in-law. angela is with new york was desperately needed. he is very focused. and i have a wonderful wife. she is equally focused, but she does not do it as publicly as they do. she has given me three beautiful daughters. tavis: and then there is kenneth cole. >> who makes stuff. tavis: yes. and convinces us to buy it anyway. [laughter] i'm glad you came out here. >> thank you. tavis: up next, a special performance from this year's best new artist, this new grammy-winner, esperanza spalding. stay with us. tavis: two years ago, we

introduced you to esperanza spalding was just beginning to gain some notice in the jazz world, not only for her talent, but also for her hair. two years after her first appearance on this program, she made grammy history by becoming the first jazz musician to win in the category of best new artist. tonight, we begin to our music archives to bring you a song we have never shown before. esperanza spalding performing "precious" from her self-titled cd. laa la la la la ♪ la la la la dee dee ♪ oh ♪ na na na

♪ ♪ ♪ dee deela la ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ nothing wrong with me ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ you always wanted something more from my body ♪ and said you needed something more from my loving ♪ but all you got was me and that's all that i can be ♪ i'm sorry if it let you down ♪ you always wanted something more from my body ♪ and said you needed something more from my loving ♪ but all you got was me and that's all that i can be

♪ but i'm not going to sit around and waste my precious divine energy there is nothing wrong with me ♪ laa la la ♪ da da da da ♪ ooooh tavis: for more information on today's show, visit tavis.pbs.org. >> all i know is his name is james. he needs extra help with his reading. >> i and james.

>> yes. >> to everyone making a difference. >> thank you. >> you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. nationwide is proud to join tavis to improve literacy. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you.

>> this is "bbc world news." funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank.