Some of Australia's top designers have helped wrap up Paris
Fashion Week with stunning collections in bold colours and playful
prints. Collette Dinnigan and Akira Isogawa were among the
Australians to show their spring-summer collections.
In Dinnigan's show beneath the Louvre, natural-looking models
wore hot tangerine, Grecian-inspired slip dresses and barely there
micro-shorts topped with tightly belted jackets. The collection was
a move away from Dinnigan's signature girlish style to a more
grown-up cool.
"I wanted to create something really confident and strong, but
still feminine and ladylike," Dinnigan said. "The look is fresh,
young and sporty but luxurious at the same time."
But the star designer was careful not to stray too far from her
style roots, showing luscious, floor-skimming satin dresses in
dazzling jewel colours, fit for a silver-screen goddess. Dinnigan
has long been a favourite of Hollywood beauties such as Kate
Bosworth and Charlize Theron.
"It's a while since I've shown long gowns, so I felt it was a
good time to get them out again in all these great colours. Just
perfect for the Oscars," she said.
Bright, flashy colours have been one of the hottest trends of
this season's European shows, and they also made a spectacular
splash at Martin Grant's parade.
The Melbourne-born designer's show had an arthouse flavour in
keeping with its setting at the Fine Arts School.
Models with geisha-style hairdos began parading in neutral tones
which gradually intensified to emerald greens and electric pinks,
turning the runway into a flowing colour spectrum.
Japanese touches were a key trend on the international catwalks
this season, particularly timely for Akira Isogawa. The
Japanese-born designer frequently travels to his hometown of Kyoto
to buy patterned kimono silks which he develops into his signature
prints in his Sydney studio.
Opting out of a catwalk extravaganza in Paris, he showed his
collection to some of the world's top buyers and media in the chic
surroundings of a showroom near the Place Vendome.
Loose dresses and tops were cut out of delicate silks in crimson
and violet or white.
Isogawa says Paris is the most creative city on the fashion map,
but there is more acceptance of his work in Australia.
AAP