Carla Zampatti's work in breaking down barriers for young businesswomen is being honoured and continued through a new scholarship, launched by Australian Multicultural Foundation (AMF) in her name.
Today, applications open for the Australian Multicultural Foundation Carla Zampatti Scholarship for Young Women, which will continue Zampatti's legacy.
The scholarship will continue her work of celebrating multicultural Australia and will directly support young women (18-29 years of age) from new and emerging culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds to achieve their goals and overcome financial barriers or insufficient support.
"Carla was on the board of AMF for over 10 years, and she championed multicultural women on and off the catwalk, she wanted them to have a voice and succeed," AMF executive director Dr. Hass Dellal AO said.
"It’s that legacy we’re keeping alive with the support of her family," he said.
In its first year, the scholarship will award $10,000 to one recipient, with the aim to increase funding for the scholarship, to support more young women.
Dellal added the scholarship will support a range of business and personal ventures.
"This scholarship will support the commencement of a personal or business project - whether it be education, technology, arts or business.
"This isn’t exclusive to fashion, and Carla wasn’t exclusive to fashion, she was a trailblazer in business.
"Through this scholarship, we want to see more young women from diverse cultures overcome barriers and challenges to achieve their aspirations and, in the process, strengthen the future prosperity of multicultural Australia," he said.
Zampatti's son and Carla Zampatti CEO Alexander Schuman said the launch of the scholarship gives financial support to female entrepreneurs, a privilege his mother was not afforded when she wanted to start her eponymous label.
"There’s been a dramatic change over the last 50 years to advance female business ventures, but before 1971 women couldn’t access bank loans, this was the case for my mother in the 60’s when she wanted to start her business.
"Luckily a cousin of hers was able to help her out.
"Yet, multicultural women still have barriers in business endeavours today, my mother would want us to keep breaking them down in her name.
"We know launching this scholarship today is the beginning of supporting many wonderful business ventures for young multicultural women everywhere in Australia for years to come," he said.
Applications for the scholarship are open now and will close on Friday May 06, with the winner will be announced on May 31 in Melbourne.