Collette Dinnigan in Hamilton Island for resort 2014
Collette Dinnigan has presented her resort 2014 collection at luxury destination Qualia on Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays – and it couldn’t be a more fitting location. As Dinnigan puts it, “it’s so beautiful up here. It’s exactly where you would want to wear the clothes.”
Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Hamilton Island Raceweek, 250 guests attended the designer’s biggest ever runway show in Australia with a set designed by Tony Asness (set designer to Baz Luhrmann). Attendees who made the pilgrimage to the resort included Asher Keddie, Gracie Otto, Terry Biviano, Jordan and Zac Stenmark and members of the Paspaley and Oatley families (the latter are the owners of Qualia).
In homage to the Tennessee Williams play of the same name, Dinnigan described ‘The Sweet Bird of Youth’ collection as ‘poolside glamour, comfortable easy clothes’. The runway was awash with colour, from canary yellow to coral and azure, balanced by pristine white and navy and her signature metallic beading. The designer’s personal favourite? The yellow jumpsuit for its modernity and versatility – “wear to lunch or to a cocktail party with a pair of heels,” she suggested.
As for the mood, Dinnigan’s resort showing – which takes place on Hamilton Island annually – is all about her customer. While Paris, where she presents her mainline, is about international publicity, Hamilton is an ode to her resort customer and Australian roots. The Collette Dinnigan woman is an international traveller, one that wants to wear her designs when they vacation at a deluxe resort like Qualia.
With a successful diffusion line, Collette by Collette Dinnigan, as well as mainline and resort, Dinnigan has to don many designer hats. So is there one ‘Collette’ customer she designs for? ‘Sometimes it would be similar customers but with a different mood and feeling. Collette by Collette Dinnigan is very much about fun, whereas mainline has a more modern fashion edge to it and is more sophisticated.’
Tags:
—————