NEW YORK, September 5, 2007 – Witness the buffing and polishing of a young sportswear line: In August, Adam Lippes announced he'd be changing the name from Adam + Eve to the more user-friendly ADAM; this week came his first runway show, after three seasons of lower-key presentations; and later this fall, the doors to his first freestanding store, in New York's Meatpacking District, will swing wide.

And while the wheels of his business have been strategically churning away, Lippes has, of course, been at work designing Spring. He showed a relaxed easy-dressing collection in a scheme of mostly cream and beige shot through with bright color. Japanese influences were evident in the kimono sleeves and obi belts, while gestures in the direction of the Abstract Expressionist Morris Louis—colored stripes and the like—rounded out the agenda. Pairing breezy, to-the-floor dresses and wide-leg pants with chic flat sandals and gauzy head wraps, he set a laid-back tone sure to strike a chord among the contemporary Adams and Eves who buy his clothes. It was appealing and wearable—exactly what contemporary sportswear should shoot for. The hand-painted, striped knit pieces and the dégradé silk dresses will blow out of stores come spring.

– Joanna Rodger