Carla Zampatti's fair ladies

Frockwriter hears that Carla Zampatti had to have her arm twisted to use the basement of her Kent Street headquarters as a show venue on Thursday. Originally used in the late 1800s as a carriageway for horse-drawn vehicles, but now serving as Zampatti's garage, presumably the Australian fashion industry veteran figured the crumbling industrial interior was not sufficiently chi-chi for her classic, uptown designs. Celebrating her 46th year of business this year, good to see Zampatti take advice from a younger creative generation. The space was not unlike many edgy show venues that you would see at London Fashion Week. And stylist Michelle Jank made full use of the 19th century brickwork, using it as the backdrop for a model tableau that was choreographed at the end of the show. Wearing the strikingly elegant eveningwear from Zampatti’s 'Strength of Simplicity' Spring/Summer 2011/2012 collection, which included columns with sporty necklines in tangerine, cobalt, black and ivory and a pretty short shell pink taffeta puffball dress - all teamed with beautiful, Beaton-esque picture hat-like silk georgette headpieces from Jonathan Howard ‘Hatmaker’ - the models draped themselves over chairs and ladders at the end of the runway. The image evoked the iconic Cecil Beaton photograph of models in Christian Dior’s 1957 collection, which has been copied a number of times by fashion magazines - one example of which we spotted backstage as reference. 

St Gilda - LMFF 2011

 

So the runway shows are off and running at the L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival. Headsup to any internationals unfamiliar with the event: it's an in-season runway showcase that is open to consumers. In addition to other events throughout the schedule, the naming rights sponsor operates seven multibrand runway shows down at the main venue in Melbourne's Docklands precinct, each presented in partnership with a different Australian magazine. First up last night, the Grazia show featuring Carla Zampatti, sass &  bide, Rachel Gilbert, Leona Edmiston, Tina Kalivas, Romance Was Born and Nina Maya. The styling theme was high glamour, with a mix of high ponytails, cascades of Rita Hayworth curls and ultra violet smokey eyes sported by a cast that included two Australia's Next Top Model alumni, Cassi van den Dungen and Sophie van den Akker.   

Carla's killer chic

Pit stop two this morning was the Carla Zampatti SS1011 collection launch at Zampatti's magnificent Eastern suburbs home. Missed the first part of the show sadly, but did take in the eveningwear: a dramatically-styled series of draped cocktail gowns in charcoal, ivory and lipstick red. The makeup brief according to MAC's Nicole Thompson was "bright colour-blocking, 70's YSL/sculpted face with a shine, bright popping lips". The styling was courtesy one Michelle Jank (who, frockwriter hears, is also styling Camilla's show next week). Not sure if Jank also consulted on the collection proper, but at first glance it appeared that may have been the case. Zampatti is an Australian fashion industry icon and she is to be commended for her longevity. But a collaboration with a hot talent such as Jank would represent a win-win situation for both designers: Jank gets to eschew the mundanities of manufacturing and concentrate on her key creative strengths and Zampatti's brand gets a shot in the arm.

Carla Zampatti: "I'm not a global brand - but I have global customers"

Coupla interviews that I did after Wednesday night's Myer show. First up, Oz fashion industry veteran Carla Zampatti, upon whom the Australian Fashion Laureate was bestowed a fortnight ago. With the laureate's eligibility criteria dictating that a candidate “must have global reach”, I asked at the time: has Zampatti ever exported and do her fashion endeavours have anything remotely approaching a global reach? Here’s Zampatti’s answer.


Congratulations on your award.
Carla Zampatti: My Laureate.

Yes - your Laureate.
Well it was totally unexpected.

But you were nominated last year as well weren’t you?
I was nominated yes, But to win….I mean there is some wonderful talent in Australia. So to win was really quite extraordinary. And I think to be voted by your peers is a great honour because, you know, we’re all working hard to achieve the best results. And to have that approval, is very important.

How many times have you participated in Australian Fashion Week? I only recall seeing you on the runway there once.
Yes only once.

Why?
Simply because I like showing in a more intimate way and I think Fashion Week is about a thousand people.

In your acceptance speech you said that you thought the event had put Australia on the map.
Yes it has, I really believe… for brands that are not well-known. Particularly young brands who are trying to make a breakthrough. I think it’s very important for them. It’s one way to showcase what they are doing and allowing the buyers..

So, you didn’t think that you needed to be at Fashion Week then?
No, because I think we are a vertically-integrated organization with our own boutiques, so it’s less important for us.

Have you ever exported?
I used to have a store in New York.

How long ago was that?
A long time ago. Late ‘80s/early ‘90s.

How long was the store there for?
It was there for about 18 months. And in Washington, in one of these centres.

You had two stores?
Yes. For about 18 months, for both of them. But the timing was wrong. New York, late ‘80s/early ‘90s wasn’t a very good time. So we decided that to become really well known in New York, you really had to spend time there and I decided that was going to be too difficult for me and I had noone on the ground here that I could send. So I decided it was best to concentrate on my domestic market and develop my retail.

According to the Laureate’s eligibility criteria, candidates must have “global reach”. Which your brand really doesn’t have, does it?
No it doesn’t have. But I think we have international customers. We have many expats who don’t live in Australia who actually buy from us. By email.

But it’s not really a global brand.
No, it’s not a global brand.

You could have been a global brand.
I could have been, but I chose not to. I decided I’d rather… I wanted to concentrate in Australia. Also I think the difficulty… unless you’re making transseasonal product, which most people are doing today, it’s really hard to grow a global brand from Australia because of the opposite seasons. The main market is the northern hemisphere. So you almost have to run two collections and I also found that quite difficult.

If the Laureate is supposed to go to a brand with global reach, are you saying that you do qualify by virtue of the fact that you have international customers?
Yes – but also I did export at that point. And then set up two stores.

Is it too late now to export?
Well I mean my next generation…. I have my two daughters working in my business and they may do it. And I think Australia is much more on the fashion map than it has been in the past. So I think it’s much more possible. I think there’s an awareness about Australian fashion that probably when I started, there was not. Also in the ‘80s, I don’t think that awareness was strong either.

Might we see Carla Zampatti at New York Fashion Week?
[Laughs] No… well... I mean, under somebody else’s guidance, yes it could possibly be. Because I think it is a brand that will continue on beyond my stewardship. And I think I would leave that to the next generation.

Carla Zampatti: Australian Fashion Laureate

vogue.com.au

Congratulations go to Carla Zampatti, who was awarded the Australian Fashion Laureate this afternoon in Sydney.

In the wake of the demise of the FIA Awards, the Fashion Laureate is being touted as the highest Australian fashion accolade.

The award is a year-old joint initiative between the NSW government and IMG FASHION Asia Pacific - the latter which operates essentially as a defacto Australian Fashion Council.

According to the NSW Department of State and Regional Development:

“To be eligible, a candidate's body of work must have been carried out in Australia, must have global reach, must align with high ethical standards, and must link fashion to business”.

Sadly I could not make today's presentation.

I was however interested to read an AAP report of Zampatti's acceptance speech, in which she made reference to both IMG FASHION Asia Pacific managing director Simon Lock and Australian Fashion Week, the event Lock's Australian Fashion Innovators company founded in May 1996.

Zampatti is quoted as saying:

"We came of age with fashion week. We are now on the international calendar. Lock deserves all the accolades from the industry for achieving this."

It was an interesting comment, given that as far as I can recall, Zampatti only ever graced the Australian Fashion Week runway on one occasion.

From the outset of the event, Lock and co had always seemed quite focussed on targetting the new, younger, export-driven fashion guard which had emerged in Australia from the mid 1980s onwards.


carla zampatti

Carla Zampatti is undoubtedly an icon of the Australian fashion industry.

After migrating from Italy with her family in 1950, she launched her fashion business at the age of 23 and in 2005 celebrated the fashion milestone of 40 years in business.

Zampatti quit wholesaling in 1990 to focus on a vertical operation. The company's website lists some 18 Carla Zampatti stores within Australia.

Zampatti is no stranger to accolades, having been made a Member of the Order of Australia for her services to the fashion industry and a Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

Zampatti is also a recipient of the Centenary Medal, the Chair of Australian multicultural broadcaster SBS, a director of Westfield Group, a trustee of the Sydney Theatre Company Foundation Trust, a member of the Development Committee of the Sydney Theatre Company and a board member of the Australian Multicultural Foundation.

But does she export and/or do her fashion endeavours have anything remotely approaching a global reach?


carla zampatti