The politics of being a Zampatti and wearing Carla

“Even if I had wanted to, it wouldn’t have made sense to not wear her clothes,” Spender says. “It wouldn’t be authentic. I’m incredibly proud of my mother and what she stood for as a trailblazer.”

Rather than standing out by wearing Carla Zampatti in Parliament House and at official functions, Spender joins a broad group of politicians and powerful women who choose the label as their fully lined armour. Among the 100 designs in Zampatti Powerhouse are pieces worn by former prime minister Julia Gillard, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and former governor-general Dame Quentin Bryce.

“For many women in business and public life, you could rely on Carla Zampatti for clothing that was dignified and formal,” says Bryce, who spoke at Zampatti’s state funeral.

“In a way I’ve grown up as a woman with Carla’s clothing, as so many Australian women have. I was recently at a concert in Brisbane and saw a friend looking smart and asked the familiar question, ‘Carla?’ Of course, the answer was yes.”

While one of Bryce’s handkerchief skirts appears in the exhibition, it’s a sleek pair of inconspicuous black trousers that are regularly reminders of her close friend.

“All women of different shapes and sizes found a good fit in Carla’s trousers. They’re such reliable old things. Every woman needs a wash and wear workhorse that you can fold at the bottom of a suitcase.”

The Zampatti Powerhouse exhibition, featuring deeply personal stories from many of the people who raided their wardrobes to donate meaningful pieces, offers an unusual opportunity to stop and think about the clothes, which in most cases were designed to be forgotten once the final button was fastened and zip raised.

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“Mum always understood how you needed to feel when you were wearing her clothes,” Spender says. “You could look professional and feminine and worry about the issues you were facing. You didn’t need to think about the clothes because you felt confident. Mum had done the work for you.”

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