An exhibition on the life and work of Italian-born designer Carla Zampatti will take place at the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo.
Launching on November 24 this year, Zampatti Powerhouse will be the first internationally exclusive retrospective of Zampatti, who passed away in April last year.
The breadth of her private, professional and public life will be showcased, accompanied by Zampatti’s signature designs and first person reflections on the designer's clients, family, staff and friends.
Zampatti Powerhouse will share 100 designs from over 50 lenders and over five decades of material, uncovering her career that began in 1965 to her most recent work.
It will include notable pieces such as the persimmon jacket former Prime Minister Julia Gillard wore when she addressed US Congress in 2011; Tina Arena’s jumpsuit, personally fitted for her ARIA Hall of Fame induction in 2015; and Allegra Spender’s blue jacket which belonged to her mother.
Following a public call-out, the exhibition will also present around 30 loaned garments from Zampatti’s rarely seen early design work from the 60s and 70s, alongside the stories of the Australian women who wore them.
Carla Zampatti CEO Alexander Schuman said this is an “incredible honour” for her Mum’s legacy.
“Mum loved the magic of fashion, the big runway shows as well as hearing her customers’ personal stories and how her designs often played a small part in moments of significance in the lives of many Australian women,” Schuman said.
Powerhouse CEO Lisa Havilah echoed Schuman’s sentiments, saying the exhibition celebrates Zampatti’s “affinity with Australian women.”
“As a trailblazing leader for women in business, Carla was passionate about creating looks which made women feel confident in the defining moments in their lives, evidenced by the overwhelming response we received to our public call-out,” Havilah said.
Other design highlights include the gown worn by HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark for her official royal portrait in 2015; personal items worn by Zampatti; a 1985 Ford Laser she co-designed; and two large bronze busts by Dame Elisabeth Frink.
To accompany the exhibition, Powerhouse will release a publication including an archival collection fashion shoot starring Zampatti’s granddaughter Brigid Schuman, and portraits of luminaries such as Dame Quentin Bryce and Ita Buttrose by Hugh Stewart.
“Zampatti Powerhouse will showcase the oeuvre of an Australian icon at the forefront of Australia’s fashion industry, from designing a car with Ford to the uniform for Australia Post,” Powerhouse Trustee Kellie Hush said.
“I’m so excited to see the beautiful, rare Carla designs found in private wardrobes and hearing the associated stories.”
Powerhouse will also partner with cultural institutions and foundations supported by Zampatti to present live performances, late-night programs and panel discussions that discuss her expansive legacy.
These include an International Women’s Day Symposium on March 8, 2023, a Powerhouse Late x Carla Zampatti cocktail event on March 2023, and a performance by Sydney Dance Company and Australian Brandenburg Orchestra with dates details to be announced soon.
To mark the opening of Zampatti Powerhouse, a national competition will offer two tickets to the VIP exhibition opening. The tickets include travel and a hotel stay at the newly renovated InterContinental Sydney, a $5,000 Carla Zampatti voucher and a copy of the Zampatti publication.
Entry is open to Australian residents from October 3 to October 31, 2022.