Opening 24 November 2022, Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum has revealed details of Zampatti Powerhouse, a major survey exhibition which will celebrate the life and legacy of the iconic Australian, Carla Zampatti.
The first internationally exclusive retrospective of Carla Zampatti AC, OMRI (1938–2021) will present the life and work of the inimitable Italian-born designer, beloved as an Australian fashion icon.
The breadth of her extraordinary private, professional and public life will be rendered in exquisite detail, anchored by Zampatti’s signature designs and brought to life with first person reflections on the designer’s clients, family, staff and friends.
“The NSW Government is proud to support the first retrospective of Australian fashion icon Carla Zampatti at the home of Australian fashion, Powerhouse Ultimo,” said Minister for the Arts Ben Franklin. “This showstopping exhibition will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of NSW’s cultural calendar.”
Zampatti Powerhouse will encompass 100 designs from over 50 lenders and over five decades of material, surveying a trailblazing career from the establishment of her business in 1965 to her most recent work.
Iconic pieces worn by high-profile Australian women in defining life moments include:
- former Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s jacket worn when she addressed US Congress in 2011;
- the white jacket worn by Christine Holgate when speaking at the Australia Post Inquiry in April 2021;
- the red pantsuit worn by Linda Burney for her official parliamentary portrait in 2019;
- 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, frequently worn while campaigning for the federal seat of Wentworth.
Other 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.
“It is an incredible honour for Mum’s design legacy to be showcased in a major exhibition at Powerhouse Ultimo,” said Carla Zampatti CEO Alexander Schuman. “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.”
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.
“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,” said Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah. “Zampatti Powerhouse celebrates the designer’s affinity with Australian women and her indelible legacy.”
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.
Powerhouse will partner with cultural institutions and foundations supported by Zampatti to present live performances, late-night programs and panel discussions celebrating her expansive legacy not only as a fashion designer but also a successful businesswoman, philanthropist, patron of the arts and mentor.
Zampatti Powerhouse
Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo (Sydney)
Exhibition: 24 November 2022 – 11 June 2022
Free entry
For more information, visit: www.maas.museum for details.
Image: Carla Zampatti blue swimsuit | Creative Director: Zan Wimberley | Stylist: Bridie Gilbert – courtesy of Powerhouse Museum