Singapore - Day two of Audi Fashion Festival 2013 began with Australian label, Collette Dinnigan, who is best known for her effusive use of lace on girly, romantic dresses - a style that was less prevalent in her Autumn Winter 2013 collection that was first shown at Paris Fashion Week in March.

Collette Dinnigan is the only Australian designer to make it to Paris Fashion Week, a city the 47-year-old admits is, "the number one city in the world for fashion".

"When I started designing my AW13 collection, I thought of a confident, strong woman who is being painted. And as the layers of paint go on, it almost seems like she's starting to shed her hard exterior, slowly showing her sensitivity," says Dinnigan of her darker collection.

"I was really inspired by the Dutch masters, the dark inky blues and blacks, the dark browns and some paleness as well as a bit of scarlet here and there."

While that was likely also the intention of the runway show - the show in Paris showed darker looks sandwiching white pieces - in Singapore, the order was somewhat jumbled up.

The opening look was a fully embellished ivory number with a drop-waist that seemed to be a dress right out of The Great Gatsby film, but it was followed by a black lace blouse paired with charcoal grey pants that looked disparate next to the first dress.

More looks followed, some of which solidified Dinnigan's status as the dame of lace. French lace to be exact. A silver sheath lace dress shone underneath a cream coat, a pale gold lace dress nipped at the waist and in a fur top, with alternating lace strips that showed slivers of skin.

Then, there was the leather, which served as a wonderful contrast next to the lace. Leather came in surprising forms, such as decorative leather applique on a lace panel and on a mock croc full skirt, a part of the standout look of the night of which also included a corset over an intricate sheer lace bodice.

"The use of leather references the idea of the painted woman, the lace is where her soft feminine side shows but the leather is her harder edge," explains Dinnigan.

The Singapore edit of the Collette Dinnigan AW13 collection had restyled looks - including a couple of scarf-print tops - but the overall feel of it remained the same; mostly dark, veiled in shadows but beautiful and mysterious.

For more information about Collette Dinnigan and to shop her line, visit www.collettedinnigan.com

Photos: Plush, Royston Neo

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