Even in her advanced years,when travel became more taxing and COVID-19 threatened her brand's very survival,she thrived,resting on her number-one life principle,her raison d'être:resilience.
Carla was not only resilient,but she was also a woman of great compassion,deep thought and dry humour. No one ever imagined she would not be around. And yet,here we are.
I first met Carla on the closing night of the 2016 Melbourne Fashion Festival. It was my birthday,so I nearly skipped the function but the opportunity to meet this giant of Australian fashion was too important to pass up.
In her trademark dark glasses and tailored jumpsuit - complete with a deep v-neck that belied any stereotypes about “dressing for your age” - I was immediately taken by her warmth and passion for the industry,as well as her ageless style. It’s somewhat bittersweet that,just two weeks ago,Carla led a list ofAustralia’s 10 best-dressed women inSundayLife,this masthead’s Sunday magazine. Now,that decision feels even more poignant.
In the five or so years since our first meeting,we would have many conversations,Carla occasionally veering off-script to dispense some advice on life and love. I’m so glad I still have many recordings of those interviews saved on my phone. I’m pretty sure last year she gently cautioned me not to leave having children too long,as only an Italian mother could.
In the early months of the pandemic,I was asked to profile Carla for the cover ofSundayLife to mark her 55th anniversary in business. While lockdown scuttled our plans for a lunch interview,over an hour on the phone we covered so much:the state of the industry,how it would recover,what women will want from fashion,and what made her most proud in her professional life.