You can't really fault a collection that's unfussy and still chic, and somehow merges shades of Audrey Hepburn with Ivana Trump. The first Australian-based designer to show ready-to-wear in Paris kept up her good name this season.

After 18 years with her own label, Dinnigan knows how to make cute clothes, at a non-exorbitant price point, that will suit her market. A strong-shouldered black mini or a Stella-tinged, full-length slip dress has a place in a woman's wardrobe, whether the economy is at 90s dot-com-boom level or bringing bankers and CEOs to their knees. With smart lines on numbers that were alternately short and flirty or long and sophisticated, the designer has nothing to be ashamed of.

That said, the economy puts out a challenge even to the best designers these days. Christian Lacroix just showed in a car park, for goodness' sake. So although Dinnigan knows her market, knows her sellable cuts and has hit some trends with the slip dresses and Edwardian detailing, it's a matter of whether customers are willing to part with hard cash for something that's nice, but maybe not a standout. For this talented woman's sake, I hope they are.