Dizingof gave customer service a new meaning last Tuesday at the launch of its autumn/winter collection, Spartica.

Special guests and VIP shoppers were treated to French champagne, sushi and Belgian chocolates, awaiting a turn with a personal stylist there for the night to help find everyone that ‘perfect’ outfit.

The collection has been called Spartica because of its connotations with a strong, female character, according to stylist Anna. Dizingof creates timeless pieces which any strong woman would be able to carry off effortlessly.

Dizingof was launched in 1999 and has three shops around Melbourne; Chapel Street, Brunswick Street and QV (where the launch was held). It is an Australian owned label and designed solely by Haim Bzezinski.

Born in Israel to a Moroccan mother and Polish father, Bzezinski has always had a strong interest in architectural designs, which is evident in this season’s collection.

He has a strong grasp of the female form and consequently the designs are complimentary to women of any size and shape.

“My perfect woman is very noticeable, but very humble at the same time,” Bzezinski said.

Inspired by this, the collection contains no super-short pieces or any over-the-top cleavage bearing outfits.

Bzezinski said that his favorite piece in the collection was a thick red and black winter jacket. The jacket is certainly a standout in the collection and could be worn over many of the other designs. Made of velvet, a lattice red and black pattern covers the jacket, but inside there is a lovely blue silk lining. So beautiful, you’ll be wishing you could wear it inside out!

Themes consistent throughout the collection were red and black combined with floral prints, olive greens, neutrals and tartan. For accessories, of course it’s the lace-up ‘shooboot’ and for something a little bit different, big statement necklaces.

Dresses and tunics with glittery mesh enfolded within were also very popular (especially gold). One innovative design in the collection is a black tie top which can be worn many ways. Two women were trying on the same top, one wore it as a midriff wrap-around top with jeans, the other as a beautiful blouse with high waisted-pants. My friend and I were totally amazed when they told us that it was the same top. Definitely worth dropping into the shop to check it out.

Jackets, of course, are a wardrobe staple for every woman in Melbourne during winter. A favorite was a black pleated piece that was fitted at the waist but flared out from the hips.

Ribbons used as a belt to create a slimming silhouette shape were also a popular addition to the collection. One knee-length, layered, licorice colored dress in particular caught my eye. Teamed with patent red, lace-up ‘shooboots’, this seemed to be a favorite of the stylist’s for the night!

One loyal Dizingof shopper, originally from Sydney, loves the designs because they are so unique, and she knows that no one else will be wearing the same thing as her.

“Sydney shoppers love chain stores, but in Melbourne I love exploring all the little laneways and finding shops with quirky, but beautiful pieces of clothing,” she said.

The store is also beautifully and timelessly designed. The roof is adorned with blue, metallic tiles, all at different heights and walls are made of white plaster, all modeled into different designs. The amount of work that has gone into decorating the store seems to equal that of the actual clothing designs. However, the most amazing thing in the shop (bar the clothes of course) is a massive, gigantic gold mirror that is like a secret doorway, because if you push it, you are taken to the stock room. The mirror is metres tall, and just as wide and is perfect for examining that outfit in every way possible.

Throughout the collection, it is obvious that Bzezinski truly appreciates the female body and pays special attention to it when designing. He told me that he just ‘tries not too stuff it (the designs) up” and for Spartica, he certainly hasn’t done that.