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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

The Gallery’s Acknowledgement of Country, and information on culturally sensitive and restricted content and the use of historic language in the collection can be found here.

Collette Dinnigan

2005
Ingvar Kenne

type C photograph on paper (frame: 103.0 cm x 103.0 cm, sheet: 100.0 cm x 100.0 cm)

Collette Dinnigan AO (b. 1965), designer and company director, was born in South Africa and settled in Australia in 1985. After working in the costume department of ABC TV she launched her own label in 1990, concentrating on lingerie. Dinnigan soon moved into ready-to-wear, becoming the first Australian fashion designer to mount a full-scale parade in Paris in 1995. Her delicate, luxurious collections were worn by celebrities and stocked by more than 80 stores worldwide. In 2001 she launched a range of luxury low-cost lingerie for English chain store Marks and Spencer; she did the same for Target stores in Australia in 2008. Dinnigan became the first Australian to feature in television and print advertising campaigns for American Express in 2006. To mark her twentieth year in business in 2010 she launched a diffusion line, Collette by Collette Dinnigan. The mother-of-two announced the closure of her business in late 2013, but continues to design interiors, wallpaper, textiles and ceramics. A retrospective exhibition Collette Dinnigan: Unlaced opened at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum in September 2016.

For Ingvar Kenne's portrait of Dinnigan, he taped together two photographs, reconstructing the image to show his sitter in a state of becoming. Dinnigan's designs have been described as sensual, romantic and mysterious, a mood Kenne has captured in this portrait.

Gift of the artist 2006
© Ingvar Kenne

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Ingvar Kenne (age 40 in 2005)

Collette Dinnigan AO (age 40 in 2005)

Subject professions

Architecture, design and fashion

Donated by

Ingvar Kenne (15 portraits)

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

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