As the Song Goes...

The eccentric but always stylish Andre 3000 of OutKast is planning his next venture, and it’s not a multiplatinum album. No, Dre has his sights on launching his own clothing line, Benjamin Andre, which will feature the dandy singer’s signature sartorial touch. While he can’t discuss the particulars until the deal is done, Dre took time off the set of filming “Be Cool,” with John Travolta and Uma Thurman, to dish about jewelry, being a metrosexual and the surprising influence of a ‘70s sitcom fop.

Are you playing yourself in “Be Cool”?

No. It’s like this parody. I’m in a group called the Dub MDs--this super over-the-top rap group. It’s like playing on everything that people think that’s about, so I’m wearing all these platinum chains with my pants sagging really low and my Timberland boots, super-huge throwback jerseys that look like dresses, these big iced-out watches and wristbands and stuff like that. It was fun. The whole time I hated what I was wearing, but I knew it was what my character, Dabu, would wear, so it was cool. Andre wouldn’t wear it.

What would Andre wear? What’s your look?

Sophistifunk. It’s like sophisticated, but at the same time it doesn’t stick to the rules, you know, where it becomes bland. I like to have fun. My style always changes, but I always keep some sense of what I’ve done before, whether it be color or using classic patterns and putting new colors on it. Keeping it fresh.

How do you come up with fresh designs for the costumes for OutKast’s videos and performances?

At the VH1 [Big in ‘03] show, it was all about skiing. I’ve never skied in my life, but I was going for more of an abominable snowman look. For the “Hey Ya” video [in which he plays all eight members of the band], I knew the concept of the video first so I kind of picked the characters. I drew their outfits so I knew what Benjamin Andre would look like, I knew what Dookie would be wearing. And I knew what the background singers would be wearing. So it started from a sketch.

Background singers dressed as jockeys?

I’m a fan of Ralph Lauren and Polo. So it was kind of like those pictures of people playing polo. And the pants and the huge riding hats, I thought they looked real fly. I thought, “Hey, I’ve never seen background singers look like that.”

And in it you single-handedly brought back green.

Honestly, the original color for that video was purple. And I said, “Nah, that’s too close to Prince.” So we changed it to green at the last minute. I was trying to look for a color that looks vibrant and rich at the same time, and green was it.

What’s your favorite color?

It changes all the time. Actually, I’m hating green right now. I think yellow is a cool color. Maybe because it’s Easter.

What’s been your biggest fashion faux pas?

I haven’t really had a mistake, but a mishap. We did a performance on “The Chris Rock Show” and I’d forgotten my pants. I had the top and everything, but I told the rep from the record company to go down the street and buy a pair of Fruit of the Loom underwear. So I wore football shoulder pads with fur boas hanging off and underwear and ski boots. But it was cool, though. It worked for the song.

What was the song?

“Bombs Over Baghdad.”

Whose style do you most admire?

Mr. Furley from “Three’s Company.” I like the scarves.

What’s missing today in men’s fashion?

Tradition. I think tradition is good, it’s good to learn the rules and then go on and break them. But if you don’t know the rules, then you’re just kind of going for it--which is not a bad thing if that’s your look. But it’s always more fun to know what you’re working with so you can change it around at any given moment. In Italy in wintertime, somebody said to me, “You know you’re not supposed to wear white in winter.” That’s a rule, and I knew the rule, but it looked good and I was warm. Some rules are stupid.

How do you feel about guys wearing jewelry?

It’s cool. You know, not too many dudes like pearls a lot, but I’m campaigning for it. Pearls are the new platinum.

Would you consider yourself a metrosexual?

Yeah. It’s paying attention to your body. I guess we’ve come so far as men. It used to be cool to be manly and not give a care about your appearance and hygiene, but I think that whole metrosexual thing, it’s cool on certain points. You should take care of yourself, so I guess that’s the feminine side of it, because women take care of themselves, or most of them do. And lots of men aren’t as good about that.

The one piece of clothing you can’t live without?

My waistcoat. I’m really into waistcoats right now.