Paris Fashion Week is a chance to see designers from all over the world, and take the pulse of an industry that never ceases to reinvent itself. For the past 15 years, Collette Dinnigan has been the only Australian designer to show in Paris during Prêt-à-Porter week.
For Spring/Summer 2011, Collette Dinnigan presents Circus of Love, a fresh, modern collection, a clever compromise between comfortable, sport-inspired daywear and much more chic evening silhouettes.
For daytime, the designer offers us little trapeze dresses in cotton or white “babydoll” shapes, clearly inspired by the tennis dresses of the 70s. Far from the classic interpretation of sportswear, Collette Dinnigan energizes a sporty wardrobe with clever mixes of materials, lace, ruffles and broderie anglaise, making each outfit perfect for the city. Shorts and high-waisted shorts complete a resolutely youthful wardrobe. Nude make-up and a streamlined look remain the watchwords of an effective feminine style for a young, innocent and sporty woman with an airy gait.
Slightly more colorful silhouettes bring a little freshness to a mainly monochrome collection. Pastel tones and a lyrical silk print, warmed up by a few shades of lemon and mint, add a touch of whimsy. We find it in little daytime dresses, tops, handbags and high-waisted city shorts.
For evening, tulle is the order of the day in more sophisticated ensembles, revealing transparency for the top, while high-waisted shorts show that you can be chic in any circumstance. Embroidery modestly covers an overly aggressive décolleté, while a floral motif adorns a dress whose only fantasy seems to be a little asymmetrical draping. A soft palette in shades of blue, pistachio and especially creamy yellow and pale pink is an excellent alternative to classic black eveningwear. A few sequins liven up a little jacket or highlight a pattern on a dress, avoiding boredom.
Black lace dresses and strapless gowns are legion. But here again, embroidery and ornamentation adorn the eye-catching outfits. Waistlines are marked, but the spirit of innocence and youth seen in daytime outfits remains very much present for evening. Chic, but not too chic.
The Collette Dinnigan woman is young, full of life, but arbhore the glitz. She prefers non-ostentatious eveningwear, preserving the idea of innocence and youth that permeates the entire collection.
Marie-Odile Radom
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