Collette Dinnigan

PARIS, October 7, 2007
By Nicole Phelps
This should be Collette Dinnigan's season. After all, the Australian designer made her name with lingerie dressing, putting Hollywood in her lace-edged slipdresses. But the boudoir theme that's become so relevant here in Europe eluded her. Instead, she sent out a pretty, but for the most part unremarkable, assortment of dresses that did little to establish her point of view. They came short and long, in metallic lamés, delicate lace, abstract silk florals, and bold solids. The one-shoulder, nipped-waist silhouette that we're seeing everywhere for Spring dominated, but there were also sixties-style shifts and baby dolls with tiers of ruffles falling to the knee. Many necklines and waists were embellished with silvery sequins or crystals.

Breaking up all the repetition were off-the-shoulder asymmetrical blouses worn with high-waisted palazzo pants or short shorts, plus a few sporty looks like zip-front cardigans and hoodies. Does Dinnigan, who was on the runway for the second time after a comeback last season, have the goods to compete on the Paris stage? Not yet, and not unless she returns with a collection that has some actual fashion in it.