Now in his fourth season showing on the runway, Adam Lippes is clear on his "mythical muse," as he puts it: the gyp-setting girl who s equally at home in New York City, Paris, or a tiny hut on the Indian Ocean. For Spring 10 she traveled to Lamu, Kenya (where the designer vacations). Lippes trimmed a miniskirt in raffia and wood beads and worked a mud-cloth embroidery pattern on a laid-back organza tank dress. At the heart of the collection, though, were his city-girl staples: draped twill shorts, sporty rompers, and slouchy tees, all in bright, saturated hues. Clothes women will wear, to be sure—but, unfortunately, modern basics don t make for the most exciting runway show. Lippes might want to flex his creative muscles a bit more with his next effort.
