15 June 2023, Melbourne, Australia – Applications are now open for Australian Multicultural Foundation’s 2023 Carla Zampatti Scholarship for Young Women. The annual scholarship, now in its second year, is a national initiative developed by the Australian Multicultural Foundation (AMF) to celebrate the legacy of acclaimed Australian fashion designer, businesswoman and champion for multiculturalism, the late Carla Zampatti AC.
The $10,000 Scholarship is again open to supporting a range of personal ventures, projects, or activities being led by young women – including starting a business, funding education, or pursuing goals in the creative and performing arts, design, or sports.
Dr Hass Dellal AO, Executive Director Australian Multicultural Foundation, said the program would help young women from new and emerging culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to achieve their aspirations and goals. “Through this Scholarship, we want to see more young women from diverse cultures, including newly arrived refugees, overcome barriers and challenges to achieve their aspirations and in the process, strengthen the future prosperity of multicultural Australia.”
Alexander Schuman, Carla Zampatti’s son and CEO of Carla Zampatti Pty Ltd, who presented the inaugural prize last year sees the Scholarship as a meaningful part of his mother’s legacy. “It is important to continue the Scholarship because it is what we stand for as a family and everything Mum stood for – the empowerment of women, the arts and championing of multiculturalism.”
Last year’s winner, Sofia Abel, who is the Brisbane-based business owner behind fashion label Cienti the Label, used the Scholarship to launch her Spring/Summer 2023 collection. She also upskilled her business acumen with an internship at Carla Zampatti in Sydney, where she learnt more about the fashion business directly from Carla’s son Alexander Schuman. “Receiving the Carla Zampatti Scholarship has been a game-changer for my fashion label. It has given me the confidence to explore new styles. The response from customers has been overwhelming, with many eager to be notified when sold-out products are back in stock. It’s surreal to see the impact of the scholarship on my business growth” , said Sofia.
The program also awarded a distinction prize to Natacha Adanlessossi, a humanitarian refugee from Togo, West Africa, who runs Afro-hair styling business, Afro – Hair by Natacha from her Ballarat home. Through the scholarship, Natacha was able to offer a wider range of styling products to grow her business, and develop her online brand. “Receiving the Carla Zampatti Scholarship was the most exciting, uplifting moment of my life. It validated my ideas and gave me confidence and courage to build my business with strength, determination and resilience,” Natacha said.
Applications for this year’s Scholarship will close on Friday the 14th of July, with the winner announced later in the year in Melbourne.
Carla Zampatti, 78, was an Italian-born, iconic Australian fashion designer who died after an incredible 56 years pioneering the Australian fashion industry and breaking down barriers for women in business.
This Scholarship goes on to continue her work of celebrating multicultural Australia and directly support young women (18-29 years of age) from new and emerging culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to achieve their aspirations in life where they may encounter financial barriers and insufficient support.
For more information on the Scholarship eligibility, and how to enter, please visit: https://amf.net.au/the-australian-multicultural-foundation-carla-zampatti-scholarship-for-young-women/.