Collette Dinnigan: Mars & Venus Meet At The Catwalk
By: Michelle Taylor
Photos by Javier Mateo

PARIS, Mar 8, 2004/ FW/ – Bedroom eyes to boardroom control as the Australian queen of fashion Collette Dinnigan puts a masculine spin onto the Parisian catwalks for an autumn winter collection full of significant little surprises as she continues to hold her ground as a woman designing for women.

There is no holding back this stickler for control, and could it be just this that the Aussie lingerie inspired look designer could be turning to for inspiration this season?

Where satin, lace and perfect little girly cardigans once graced her catwalk there is now a masculine edge with male tailored pinstripe trousers and vests, long wool tweed coats worn by Tarzan and Jane princesses with crazy birds nest hair and dark day after eyes.

But don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty of satin and lace, bows to the side of waists and loose ties around the neck, yet in a season where femininity is pure and women have been restored their graces, Dinnigan manages to move significantly from her usual tag while remaining faithful in her celebration of Venus.

Noted stylist Karl Plewka of Interview and Purple puts together a look for Dinnigan that is bound to turn doubting heads by accentuating individual pieces, making them all the more noticeable, from pretty pencil skirts to beautiful tops, she becomes confident while never losing her female sensuality.

Hemlines vary from mini pleated skirts to the knee length metropolitan, while plunging V’s and long evening dresses with splits at the side and soft necklines offer virtue and grace that is bound to receive certain approval from the Dinnigan woman.

She mixes textures and fabric, moving from contrasting black and whites to silver silk velvet, mohair knit and a great black leather look coat with diamond shape motif.

The final exit, an ecru plunging V halter neck dress with a single sequin embroidered bow on the front was a delightful ending to a collection that is one of Dinnigan’s best yet, managing to find the right spices to add to an already great recipe making it even better.

Yet as they say in this business, more is definitely more and when more is not part of the right recipe, twenty minutes becomes eternal, luckily this is not Collette’s case.

Whether it is being pregnant or whether it is simply taking a closer look inside her determined personality and pulling out the goods, this is the formulae that works for the Aussie fashion success story named Collette Dinnigan.

Collette Dinnigan

Collette Dinnigan

Collette Dinnigan

Collette Dinnigan