If Adam Lippes 2010 plans are anything to go by, we can call an end to the recession. The designer has a swanky new showroom, a third boutique recently opened in Philadelphia, and a Nantucket outpost is coming this summer. His pre-fall clothes, by contrast, are slightly more muted than usual. Instead of the vivid jewel-toned tank dresses and slouchy tees he s known for, Lippes emphasized menswear-inspired tailoring in subdued shades. A charcoal pantsuit, slim black jackets, and a pair of dusty turquoise tweed trousers proved the designer has range. He has good business sense, too: These pieces were cut in lightweight wool-silk blends, allowing for a smooth transition from the easy-breezy summer wares they ll be replacing on the sales floor. As for the flirty little frocks—Lippes bread and butter—he s done some thinking there, too: A silk T-shirt dress with a pleated chiffon skirt unzipped at the waist, making it three pieces for the price of one. With smart ideas like that, it s no wonder the brand is on an upward trajectory.
