Dinnigan feels 'isolated' in Paris

Paris is considered by many to be the centre of the fashion world, but for
Australian designer Collette Dinnigan it can feel a little isolated.
Australia's geographical distance from the grand slams of the couture circuit - the
New York, London, Paris and Milan fashion weeks - isn't nearly as big a problem as
it used to be, the Sydney-based designer says.
And being in Europe is certainly not as important as being near her workbench.
"For me, it's where my craft is and where I touch and feel fabric and use my
machines to do things - that's what I love being near to," Dinnigan told AAP on
Thursday.
"I don't necessarily love being so near to the hub and the buzz of the world of
fashion, it's more the workroom that I find very important - it's where we create
everything and where we finish things."
Due to clashing schedules, Dinnigan isn't participating in Australian Fashion Week,
to be held in Sydney next week.
But on Thursday night, the acclaimed fashion designer - who regularly dresses the
likes of Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Naomi Watts and Cate Blanchett - will give her
first Australian show in more than 10 years at David Jones in Sydney.
Her collections are usually first-aired in Paris - and have been for 15 years - but
Dinnigan says she'd love the opportunity to show back home more often.
"I would love to do more because Australia's my home," the 44-year-old Sydney-based
designer said.
"I feel like it's a lot easier for me to do a show here in one respect, because I
have everything in my back garden and I can run back to my showroom and get
something made if I had to.
"Whereas in Paris I feel so isolated sometimes."
The Sydney showing of Dinnigan's Autumn/Winter 2010 collection came about because
she did not feel the small show she did in Paris gave it the proper "birthing".
"I didn't do a show in the Louvre or a big full-scale show, so it was kind of really
nice to do it for the customers (in Australia) who have supported us for such a long
time," Dinnigan said.
"We decided quite a few months ago to do a small little show to show the collection,
because I felt like it hadn't been given it's proper birthing in a way.
"(But) I didn't quite realise the response we'd be getting."
The palette of the collection - which is in stores from July - is predominantly
black, midnight blue and metallics and stays true to Dinnigan's staple feminine
look.
One shoulder party dresses and cinched in waists are the order of the day.
"I called (the collection) Bella Sicilia because it reminds me of that woman in
Sicily or somewhere in Europe with her red lipstick and she gets on the back of a
Vespa (scooter) and travels down the street and is quite sexy and her skirt has to
ride up," she says.
"It's about things that are sexy like lace, but are not being used in a very
plunging, down-to-the-waist, silhouette, halter neck, showing-off-flesh kind of
way."
Dinnigan is confident Australian women can pull of the look.
"I think Australian women have that European confidence," she says.
"It's not the old thing of a pair of thongs and boardshorts anymore - it's most
definitely high heels and pretty floral dress for the races and a hat.
"Everyone loves getting dressed up."