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Lang blends black with splash of color

June 29, 2000
Web posted at: 4:51 p.m. EDT (2051 GMT)

From Elsa Klensch
CNN Style Correspondent

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Color plays a prominent role in Helmut Lang's latest collections, but he's not abandoning his trademark lean, sleek black outfits.

Rather, the Austrian designer is building on them with just a splash of new color.

"There's a lot of black to start out with, but then, you know, I think it's great to have color," said Lang, who was named Menswear Designer of the Year at this month's American Fashion Awards. He also was nominated for his womenswear and accessories.

"This black is a new black. It's not the black we know from before. This is much more sophisticated. But then I thought it was very important that there's color. There's new shades of color which, you know, you don't find on the usual color cards, and it was very exciting to do."

Lang says he's aiming for a modern look, not just a luxurious one.

"The most important message, I think, is like being sophisticated (in) dress but being also very modern at the same time," he said.

Mixture of textures

While Lang tailors clothes differently for men and women, he retains a sharpness in his cut for both.

"It's sharp, but it's soft enough," he said. "It's sharp for the guys; it's much softer for the woman."

Lang says he mixed many different textures for the black outfits in his collection, which he hopes gives them an air of class.

"There's like transparent mixed with leather and cashmere, so it's like matte texture; soft texture with very polished and transparent textures, which, you know, makes a very new, sophisticated look."

Lang has both pants and dresses in his collection, but the dresses are a change.

"For us, it's a big step because a lot of dresses we consider to be after-6 wear, and that's very new for us," he said. "There's like a more modern, sophisticated group that's more romantic, you know. ... I'm very glad about that, because it's exciting to have all these options."

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Helmut Lang
Council of Fashion Designers of America

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