CP Company Urban Protection LED, AW2001

What's a man of means to do when he no longer trusts the air around him? He buys a thousand-plus-dollar coat, of course, enhanced with a detachable microcomputer that tells him just how contaminated his surroundings may be.

The coat is made by C. P. Company, an Italian clothing maker, as part of what it calls its Urban Protection line.

A microcomputer in the right breast pocket is hooked up to a tiny filter and sensor that test the air for methane, propane, freon and other gases. A signal appears on an illuminated scale that ranges from red to green to give the wearer an idea of the level of contaminants about him.

Who would buy such a garment?

''The gentleman who understands this is beyond normal outerwear,'' said Sam Hassan, a C. P. vice president.

''He could be an artist, he could be someone visual,'' Mr. Hassan said. ''Our customer isn't necessarily looking for basic products. He's looking for exclusivity.''

Other coats in the Urban Protection line are equipped with filtered masks and flashlights.

The coat, called the L.E.D., is the only model in the line made just for men, Mr. Hassan said, adding, ''They're fond of these gadgets.''

Unfortunately for New Yorkers, some of whom are worried about the quality of the air around them, the L.E.D. will soon be discontinued.

After that, a person who wants to be assured of air purity will have head for the hills, or at least his local oxygen bar.