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FALL/ WINTER 2000

Fall/winter 2000

July 24, 2000
Web posted at: 2:22 p.m. EDT (1822 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Casual chic streetwear is the look Kenneth Cole is going for with his menswear collection for fall/winter 2000. The New York designer uses slimmer, more tapered silhouettes to give outfits more of an edge.

"Guys are just ready for tighter clothes, as are women today," he says. "We are feeling better about ourselves."

Cole says the collection shakes up the status quo. "We take the young guy who's never worn a tie, and we give him a tie. "We take the more mature guy, and we take it off. We just see the roles are changing."

Mixing and matching is key next season, Cole says, as are suits that can be worn for practically every occasion.

"A lot of what the collection consists of is things that they can wear not just on Friday, but on Thursday; not just during the day, but at night; and not just this season, but next season."

Blacks, grays, browns and other neutrals dominate shirts, pants and suits. Cole reserves color for outerwear, splashing in red, blue and green. Don't expect patterns or prints though.

"We are patternless and printless," he says. "Sometimes we are defined by a print ... so I think we are inclined to pieces that are a little more subtle and more adaptable."

Subtlety also sneaks into Cole's "smart bags."

"You can wear them on your back or carry them in your hand, and we have a few you can wear on the belt," he says.

"They're a little less conspicuous and a little bit more subtle and traditional in a sense ... with interesting materials. I've done them so that they almost match the outfit."

CNN Style Correspondent Elsa Klensch contributed to this report.