Building upon the success of its past collaborative ranges with Australian designers, Specsavers has announced a new collaboration with a true fashion pioneer – Italian-born Australian fashion designer and businesswoman Carla Zampatti.

Exclusive to Specsavers, the new Carla Zampatti eyewear collection includes 14 optical and eight prescription sunglasses. Carla has selected award-winning Australian actress Marta Dusseldorp to front the eyewear campaign.

The collection is a nod to iconic moments in fashion, reinvented for the modern-day woman who wants to stand apart from the crowd in her glasses. Retro-inspired classics from past decades have been reinterpreted with fresh, contemporary flair, making them highly wearable and unique.

True to Carla’s signature, many of the designs exude a gracefulness, and a sense of fluidity, defined by easy-to-wear shapes created with extraordinary craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Carla Zampatti

“I’ve designed a collection I would wear,” Carla stated. “It is a collection that is both practical and flattering, offering versatile solutions for the office, home or simply a day at the beach. Every occasion, every woman, regardless of age or style.”

Carla said she was passionate about eyewear. “I buy sunglasses by the dozen. I love sunglasses – I always have. That’s why the idea of designing an eyewear range really appealed to me and why I partnered with Specsavers – so I had more to wear!”

A huge admirer of Carla and what she has done for women, Marta said she was honoured to be the face of the Carla Zampatti x Specsavers collaboration.

“As a long-standing Carla Zampatti fan, I was honoured to get the call asking me to be the face of her first glasses collection for Specsavers,” she said. “Just like her clothing, the frames are bold yet timeless, and range from a traditional palette of black and white, to feminine pastels and bold splashes of colour. Just like Carla, I love accessories, so I’m having a lot of fun playing with all the different styles.”

Juan Carlos Camargo, Head of Frames for Specsavers Australia & New Zealand, said, “Carla Zampatti is an Australian fashion icon and is undeniably one of Australia’s most influential designers. We are so thrilled to welcome her to our designer stable and to be able to offer our customers a range that is a beautiful expression of understated elegance, glamour and above all Carla Zampatti style.”

Carla Zampatti is the latest Australian style icon to partner with Specsavers in an exclusive collaboration, with others including fashion designer Kym Ellery and pop sensation Kylie Minogue.

The launch of the new collection, which became available in Specsavers stores from 12 October 2017, was celebrated in Australia at an event held in the Bay 21 Gallery at iconic Sydney venue, Carriageworks, on 11 October. Close to 250 VIP guests were treated to a runway show that also showcased the Carla Zampatti AW18 fashion collection.

A New Zealand launch event was also held on 17 October at award-winning restaurant Clooney in Auckland. Fifty members of the media and influencers were invited to peruse and try on the new frames in a private dining room where champagne and canapes were served and models wearing the frames roamed. Attendees later enjoyed lunch and a fashion presentation in the restaurant before the the event MC, business journalist and news presenter Nadine Higgins, introduced Carla for a Q&A session.