Carla Zampatti is Director, designer and retailer for one of Australia's longest established fashion houses Carla Zampatti Pty Ltd. She is one of Australia's most successful designer's and businesswomen, best known for creating understated, elegant clothing with a contemporary edge. She was voted Businesswoman of the Year in 1980, named Designer of the Year in the 1994 Fashion Industry Awards and has been appointed to various boards and associations including the International Wool Secretariat, the Homebush Bay Development Corporation and Trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW.

Zampatti read the market carefully and established her fashion label with the career woman in mind. She took women's business clothes past the padded power-shoulder mentality into understated, elegant feminine styles. A feminist, and advocate for women combining career and family her collections are tailored to the needs of time poor businesswomen. The basis of her collections are simple, good quality pieces that are easy to put together and versatile enough to take a woman from the office to boardroom to cocktail party.

The grey wool and silk outfit is part of the Fashion of the Year 1999 selection. Inaugurated in 1991, the Fashion of the Year project is an annual selection of garments from the ready-to-wear ranges of significant contemporary and Australian designers for inclusion in the museum's collection. It aims to represent the themes and styles that best encapsulate the current moods of fashion. A panel which includes museum curators and some of Australia's top fashion editors make the selection. The Carla Zampatti outfit was selected because it reflected Zampatti's committment to quality, multi-functionality and her ability to incorporate contemporary styling without being faddish.

Zampatti was born in Italy, her family moved to Western Australia in 1950 when she was nine. Her design and business skills were primarily self-taught. She had always loved designing and making her own clothes and after spending nine months designing for a blouse manufacturer she opened her first wholesale business Zampatti Pty Ltd, in Sydney in 1965. She designed and manufactured her garments and wholesaled through department stores and boutiques. In what was considered a daring move for the time she opened her first Carla Zampatti boutique in 1972. Her clothing is all made in Australia of Australian and imported fabrics. She now has 29 retail outlets and produces four ranges a year.

Outfit, womens, comprising skirt, jacket, blouse and pair of shoes, wool / viscose acetate / leather, designed and made by Carla Zampatti, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1999.

Womens outfit comprising matching grey wool jacket and skirt, grey silk blouse and grey wool covered shoes.

Jacket: loose fitting crop jacket with high round neck and long straight sleeves made of dark grey wool. Centre front opening fastens with metal zipper. Machine sewn and fully lined with black viscose acetate blend satin.

Blouse: loose fitting untailored camisole top made of dark grey viscose acetate blend satin. High round neck with a slight scoop at the back. Short vents at side seams at hem. Machine sewn and unlined.

Skirt: tight fitting ankle length straight skirt made of dark grey wool. No waistband. Two slash pockets set diagonally at left and right front at hip level. Centre back opening fastens with black nylon invisible zipper. Machine sewn and fully lined with black viscose acetate blend fabric.

Shoes: pair of slip on shoes made of light grey wool covered leather. Long narrow toe squared off at tip. Narrow leatherette sole and very short stacked heel. Lining and inner sole of dark grey leatherette.

Outfit designed by Carla Zampatti. Carla Zampatti is closely involved in the design of her collections but does employ several designers in her studio who assist with the design and development of her ranges.

Made in Carla Zampatti's studio in Sydney.

This outfit was designed and made in 1999.

Designed by Zampatti as part of her Winter Collection 1999. Worn by Carla Zampatti as part of her personal wardrobe.

Worn by model in Powerhouse Museum, Fashion of the Year parade and promotional fashion shoot with Sydney Morning Herald.

Gift of Carla Zampatti, 1999. Part of the Grand Ma

Jacket: black fabric label inside centre back neck 'carla zampatti'. White fabric label inside centre back neck 'STYLE ______'. Three white fabric labels inside proper left side seam at waist 'SIZE 8 / MADE IN / AUSTRALIA', 'PURE NEW WOOL / WOOLMARK', 'TRIM / 52% VISCOSE / 48% ACETATE / DO NOT / SPOT CLEAN / WARM IRON / NO STEAM'.

Blouse: black fabric label inside centre back neck 'carla zampatti'. White fabric label inside centre back neck 'STYLE ____'.

Skirt: black fabric label inside centre back waist 'carla zampatti'. White fabric label inside centre back waist 'STLYE ____'.

Shoes: impressed in sole of both shoes '9'. Inscribed on sole of right shoe 'April'.

2000/109/1

1999