Media releases
Westpac unveils new corporate wardrobe designed by Australian fashion icon Carla Zampatti
25 October 2016
Westpac, alongside iconic Australian fashion designer and long-time customer Carla Zampatti, unveiled its new corporate wardrobe, ‘The Westpac Collection’ today. The wardrobe will be worn by 8,000 staff across 680 branches and over 50 business banking centres nationally from Monday, 3 April 2017 as part of Westpac’s 200 year anniversary.
30 Westpac staff from across Australia modelled the wardrobe in Sydney’s Botanical Garden, alongside a preview of Carla Zampatti’s winter collection. The unveiling showcased the range that has been designed for Westpac retail, business and agri-business bankers. The Collection includes maternity wear, bold new colours, high quality fabrics as well as the addition of a hijab, demonstrating the breadth of the design’s ability to accommodate for different climates, genders, geographies, ages and sizes.
Westpac Chief Executive, Consumer Bank, George Frazis said, “We have listened to our people at every stage of the design process and the results speak for themselves. We have a beautifully crafted functional and sophisticated wardrobe that our teams will be proud to wear to work every day, empowering and inspiring them to continue to deliver great service to our customers.
“Westpac’s people are the most important and visible ambassadors for our brand, and will continue to be, as we enter our 200th year in business as Australia’s first company. As one of Australia’s most iconic and successful business women, and a partner of ours in business for over five decades, Carla Zampatti was the perfect choice.”
To create the wardrobe, Carla Zampatti worked with a group of over 200 Westpac employees throughout the design process. Feedback from the wearer trials resulted in adaptations to style, fabric and fit and saw new inclusions such as an iconic Westpac red dress. The end result has seen 97% of staff surveyed say they will be proud to wear the new wardrobe.
Ms Zampatti commented, “As a long-standing Westpac customer, I was honoured to be asked to design the wardrobe for this iconic Australian brand.
“My vision for the design was contemporary yet timeless, stylish and comfortable. Working closely with over 200 staff allowed me to immerse myself in the brand as well as understand the functionality required for various parts of the business. Open staff feedback was fundamental in an end result that sees a range of elegant, highly functional and versatile options.
“This collaborative process allowed creativity to flow into patterns, stripes and bold colour combinations, resulting in a modern, high end feel; a corporate wardrobe that I hope will empower Westpac’s people and be something that they will be proud and confident to wear every day,” said Ms Zampatti.
For further enquiries:
Melissa Murat
Map and Page
0403 967 553
melissa.murat@mapandpage.com.au