If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That was pretty much the guiding philosophy at Adidas by Stella McCartney today, as the collaboration celebrated its 10th anniversary. The very first Adidas-Stella collection was premised on the idea that workout clothes should be stylish, a tip of the hat to the reality that women wear their gym togs on the regular, and not just to the gym (or Spin class or the yoga studio). At the time, this was very forward-thinking; today, lots of brands, big and small, are fighting for a share of the sport-chic marketplace. To the extent that this new Adidas-Stella collection distinguished itself from the competition, it was in those garments that put Adidas' technical know-how to Stella-ish use. To wit, the standout pieces here, which a lot of women are going to want, were the seamless tights and tops with floral patterns knit into them. Likewise, cycling jerseys and shorts with "lace" print panels made a nice marriage of the functional and the feminine, while the scuba-inspired studio tops were well-executed enough to weave into a woman's day-to-day wardrobe as a layering piece. The other clear standout in this collection was the silvery short-sleeve anorak with integrated straps, which allow a runner to sling off her jacket and wear it like a backpack. The jacket looked cool, but its utility made it seem even cooler. McCartney is going to have to keep a laser-sharp focus on utility to keep her Adidas brand ahead of the fast-moving pack.
