Fashion, finance and a family legacy: Zampatti opens Australian Fashion Week

Marina Gainulina
02:30pm May 16 2025

It’s an hour until showtime, and one thing is clear: the anticipatory backstage buzz that crescendos with each passing minute does little to fluster Alex Schuman. 

At least a head taller than the swarm of models around him, Schuman displays a calm confidence amid the excitement – a quality likely honed over a career in finance, politics and now at the helm of a heritage Australian fashion label.

“It’s an incredible honour to open Fashion Week,” says Schuman, the son of the late Carla Zampatti and now CEO of her namesake brand. “It’s more than just a show - it’s about storytelling, gratitude, and representing the Australian fashion industry as a whole.”

Carla Zampatti, a label synonymous with power dressing and polished femininity, opened Australian Fashion Week 2025 in a stunning celebration of the brand’s 60th birthday. The runway was marked not with nostalgia, but with a bold, collaborative vision for the future. 

This wasn’t just a solo celebration. In a rare move, Carla Zampatti collaborated with 14 other Australian designers - including Toni Maticevski, Christopher Esber, Bianca Spender and Mariam Seddiq - to showcase the breadth of the local industry and pay tribute to Carla.

Founded in 1965 by the Italian-born Zampatti, the label quickly became sartorial shorthand for elegance, ambition, and quiet power. Her designs dressed prime ministers, princesses, generations of high-powered women and employees of Westpac.

Six decades later, the business remains a family affair - but one with global ambitions. “Mum built something extraordinary,” Schuman says. “She mentored an entire generation of designers and helped shape the industry we know today.”

Exactly 60 looks marked the 60th birthday of the brand. Oversized polka dots, floaty chiffon and monochromatic suits tailored to perfection paid homage to the house’s DNA, while unexpected textures including feathers, geometric silhouettes and dopamine-dressing hues like butter yellow and crimson hinted at a future unafraid to take risks.

“Fashion Week is about bringing the Australian message to the world,” Schuman says. “And with this backdrop - the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House - we wanted to make a statement.”

That statement was amplified by a powerhouse lineup of sponsors, including Westpac. As Schuman puts it, “Westpac is Australia’s oldest bank, and Carla Zampatti is the oldest fashion brand in the country.”

The “natural partnership” included Carla Zampatti designing the Westpac uniforms released for the bank’s 200th anniversary in 2017, which are still worn in all Westpac branches today. As Schuman explains, the fashion brand and financial institution have one thing in common, “Westpac has always championed female empowerment, which deeply resonated with Mum and continues to guide us.”

While many heritage labels struggle to stay relevant, for Schuman, the focus for Carla Zampatti is to continue leaning into the brand values - female empowerment, multiculturalism, and support for the arts - while embracing the tools of the digital age.

“Social media allows you to project your brand globally from day one,” Schuman says. “We’re seeing incredible stories of brands scaling from a garage setup. It’s inspiring.”

Fashion is a serious economic force. According to Schuman, Australian fashion is the country’s largest creative export, twice the size of the wine industry. And yet, it often flies under the radar in policy and investment circles.

“We have an opportunity to properly recognise that. And to take our message to global markets.”

“Once upon a time, you could define Australian fashion by surfwear brands. Now, it’s incredibly diverse and creative. That’s the essence,” he says.

“We’re not just preserving a legacy,” Schuman says. “We’re building a future that’s bold, inclusive, and unmistakably Australian.”

Marina Gainulina

Marina Gainulina (she/her) is a Content Producer for Westpac Wire. Graduating with a Bachelor of Communications & Media (Journalism) degree, Marina has spent a decade as a lifestyle journalist and luxury marketer, crafting commercial and editorial content for global brands including Tiffany & Co., Hugo Boss, NIVEA and GRAZIA.

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