Australia Fashion Week: Oops, Dhini Did It Again

Opening day at Rosemount Australia Fashion Week delivered strong collections from Lee Matthews and Kirrily Johnston as well as runway-side appearances from Mischa Barton and Miranda Kerr, but it was rising star Dhini Pararajasingham and her label Dhini that stole the day's headlines.

On our visit to Melbourne in 2006, we profiled Dhini and have kept tabs on the former Boudicca assistant since. As forecasted, Dhini has continued to come on strong, and now represents the best of Australia.

Yesterday she showed a well-edited, ready-to-wear collection packed with impeccably tailored looks in red, black and pearly-colored diaphanous fabrics that oozed edgy and expensive. By way of explanation, Dhini said, "I was feeling self-indulgent, I wasn't thinking about the economic state in America, for example—I wanted to shake things up." Mission accomplished.

—Jason Campbell