The mother of all runway shows from Carla Zampatti
Mother’s Day is fashionably late for Alex Schuman, the son of Australian design legend Carla Zampatti.
Tonight the Carla Zampatti brand returns to Australian Fashion Week, three years after the designer’s death, on a runway bearing her name. There will be a presentation for industry professionals and sold-out show for the public on the opening night of the country’s premier fashion event.
Model Valerija Erolhina, Carla Zampatti CEO Alex Schuman and model Shai Giladi at the Carla Zampatti head office in Sydney.
“This is incredibly important,” says Schuman, the chief executive of Carla Zampatti. “Mum’s last show was on the main runway in 2019. That runway, which was renamed The Carla Zampatti runway in 2021, has been beckoning us, but we wanted to be ready to make our mark.”
With creative director Karlie Ungar having spent two and a half years immersing herself in Zampatti’s diverse archives, spanning embellished animal print capes and a ballgown for Queen Mary of Denmark, the time was deemed right to return to the forefront of the Australian fashion scene.
“Karlie is only the second creative director the brand has had in 59 years and along with that comes a burden of expectation and brand history,” Schuman says.
Schuman with his mother Carla Zampatti at the premier of ‘Diana’ in Sydney, 2013.
“It’s the right time to refresh our brand and evolve it for a contemporary and powerful woman. Mum was always contemporary and powerful. It wouldn’t serve her remarkable legacy to be stuck in the past.”
Ungar remains tight-lipped about design details. Recent collections have flirted with bold logos and dramatic sheer polka dot blouses shown without bras, but this range should appeal to Zampatti’s more covered-up, core customer.
“I’m passionate abut how glamorous we are,” Ungar says. “Our visual aesthetic is formidable and unique. It will be very regal and sophisticated.”
The regal approach was taken by former politician Julie Bishop in a custom Carla Zampatti gown last week, while receiving Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun from Emperor Naruhito in Tokyo.
“This is for the contemporary customer and people who appreciate Carla Zampatti,” Schuman says. “We always deliver to our pocket.”
Making money is as important as making dresses, with many businesses struggling in a tough retail climate. Along with focusing on to their core Australian customer, Schuman is looking at international markets.
“We have engaged international buyers and are at the beginning of that journey. It would be great to see Carla Zampatti in department stores overseas.”
The purpose of Australian Fashion Week is bringing those buyers here. International interest in the event is still strong according to organiser Natalie Xenita, IMG managing director for Australia and New Zealand.
“There’s still an appetite to visit Australian Fashion Week because it’s unique on the calendar with most designers showing resort collections,” Xenita says. “We acknowledge that it’s a tough climate out there for many labels.”
Many prominent labels are absent from the event, including Bianca Spender, Zampatti’s daughter. Finding sponsors to support runways shows has been challenging.
The Carla Zampatti runway show is sponsored by Porsche while Michael Lo Sordo received a fragrant cheque from French perfumer Creed for his Tuesday night show.
“For younger designers, sponsorship is everything,” says Lo Sordo. “We don’t have the marketing budgets of bigger brands to bring the brand to life and create buzz in a busy week.”
“The most important role that being a part of fashion week plays is putting our brand at the forefront of both local and international buyers and the media.”
For Schuman, the Carla Zampatti show be something more. “This is really for mum,” he says.
“Mum will always be the guide for what we do.”
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