NEW YORK, February 7, 2007 – Now in its fourth season in New York, Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas' love child, Y-3, has become a fully entrenched part of fashion week. For Fall, the gymnasium at Hunter College was transformed over three days into an orange Y-3-logoed basketball court flanked by glossy black runways linked by a moving walkway. Digital clocks on either end counted down to showtime. (Shouldn't every designer have one of these?) Popcorn and orange vodka drinks were passed around. (Shouldn't every designer serve some of these?)

The show, however, didn't inspire the breathless raves that followed the fresh and energetic Spring effort. From the first look, a dark nubby cape knotted over an even darker sweater dress, it was clear that this was Yamamoto in moody mode (even with those orange leg warmers). Everything was layered to the hilt, with roomy knit dresses, mohair skirts, long zip cardigans, caps, leggings, and leg warmers over aqua socklike sneakers and boots. Colors were on the dark side, too, with pops of orange, red, and royal blue. Basically, it was an approximation of the consciously haphazard way teenagers dress themselves. But if that didn't make for one of Yamamoto's more fully realized presentations, it should yield plenty of salable items in the stores.

– Meenal Mistry