thirtysomething, the Label, Borrows From Hope, Ellyn . . .

Fans of ABC’s recently canceled weekly series “thirtysomething� could find themselves skin deep this summer in more than just Hope’s and Michael’s and Miles’ and Melissa’s emotional problems. Yuppie wanna-bes will soon be able to wrap themselves in their favorite character’s clothes as well.

thirtysomething, the clothing label, is a new collection of men’s and women’s apparel being produced through a licensing agreement between New York-based Apparel Resources International (ARI) and MGM/UA television. And Patrick Norris, the show’s Emmy-winning costume supervisor, acts in a similar capacity for the ready-to-wear line.

“I work to assure all the clothes have the ‘thirtysomething’ look and quality level,� offers Norris, who says the collections, priced from $25 to $325 for women and $25 to $600 for men, will include career and casual sportswear.

What exactly is TV’s “thirtysomething� look? It’s what one might expect if designers Tommy Hilfiger and Bill Robinson joined forces with Giorgio Armani and Valentino. Or perhaps if Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren designed for The Gap. These are just a few of the labels that Norris pulled each week to outfit the show’s characters.

For women, the look includes stretch pants, jeans and contemporary and vintage-look jackets. Menswear consists of casual and dress pants, sport coats, cotton and denim shirts, and ties, as well as canvas and leather outerwear. The collections will get a star-studded preview in New York on June 19; they are due in Los Angeles stores, such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Bullock’s, in September.

But how will the show’s demise affect sales?

“I’d be less than candid if I said it didn’t make me rethink the volume we’re projecting,� says ARI owner Lenny Heller. “But on the positive side, the cancellation should free some of the actors’ time for promotions and in-store personal appearances.�

Norris insists the series and the line are separate entities. However, he recognizes that the television audience might be the first to consider buying the clothing.

“The audience identifies with individual characters and we want them to connect in a similar way to the clothes,� he says. For example, Nancy (Patricia Wettig) is “put together like an artist, using lots of color and tweedy textures. She wears a lot of drop-waist dresses with sport coats.� Ellyn (Polly Draper) “prefers Donna Karan outfits that have been slightly altered for a little more sex appeal.� For menswear, Norris says Michael (Ken Olin) is “a power player who prefers the safety of classic sportswear,� while Elliot (Timothy Busfield) “is a fashion risk-taker.�

Norris is confident that the line will succeed where others failed. “thirtysomething is not like Dynasty and Miami Vice,� Norris says, referring to those programs’ ill-fated ready-to-wear lines. “This is an understandable lifestyle. It’s not glitz. It’s not trendy.�