Kenneth Cole unveils women's & men's S/S line

Now everyone is a stylist and an art director. The world is consumed with myriad points of view. And through ever-emerging technologies, our points of view can now be made available to everyone, everywhere.

The Kenneth Cole spring/summer 2014 collection for women and men embraces this idea, not only through the device of a live stream Vine mosaic that will broadcast the fashion show to the world, but also by celebrating the creative energy the digital age embodies.

In particular, the collections recognize that New York, the metropolis where Kenneth Cole was born and from where the brand continues to take its inspiration, is itself buzzing with a positive force.

Kenneth Cole reflects the upbeat urban energy of this city of the world, with its blend of cultures and confident, free-thinkers. High style and street style mix here: the rules are being broken.

A key reference is eighties Harlem Chic: polished streetwear that mixes leisurewear and sportswear, and brings color and texture into a traditional urban aesthetic. There is a healthy play on textures and patterns, with graphic elements that hint at street art, and metallic detailing that references the origins of bling.

But the craftsmanship and artisanal skill of the past also has its place, alongside the contemporary, technical and utilitarian. Sporty and athletic elements fuse with more traditional tailoring, and there is a relaxed, wearable, upbeat unisex vibe throughout. Leather makes an appearance, but the effect is not aggressive-it's powerfully positive.

Ultimately, the spring/summer 2014 collection does so much more than just reflect what is happening in the culture: Kenneth Cole is also redefining our very notion of what urban means today.

Kenneth Cole Collection: Women

The freedom to mix and blend is the central idea behind this collection - the unusual juxtaposition of fabrics and textures, patterns and colors, and traditional ideas with hyper-modern experiments. Thus, tech fabrics mix with leather, and metallic details with exotic snakeskins. Quilting is executed in a high-tech way, and mesh is treated in a fresh, bold manner.

The silhouette reflects the influence of sportswear, with bigger fits for tops, while outfits are constructed from layers that mix the feminine with the masculine. Also displaying a debt to sportswear, a key item is a fresh take on the T-shirt sweatshirt, constructed of woven cloth.

This is modern street wear, energetically rebellious in its disregard for convention. The motorcycle jacket becomes a daywear classic; glamour is brought to daywear through metal jewelry, a skirt cut above the knee has a full flare, perfectly blending the dressy with the sporty.