The Fashion Designer Profile series is sponsored by Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy
It would seem that Bianca Spender has fashion in her blood! Daughter of Australian fashion icon Carla Zampatti, Spender began her life of design at age 12 working at her mother’s company. Yet is has been by forging her own unique path that Spender has ensured that her brand is synonymous with the pinnacle of excellence in Australian design. Ahead of 2014’s Australian Fashion Week, we profile the designer…
Who:
Spender chose to study commerce at the University of NSW in Sydney after finishing high school, however, upon graduating, it soon became clear that life in the business world was not for her, and she enrolled in a short introductory course at the East Sydney Fashion Design School. It was here that her passion for fashion design was reignited, and in 2000, the youthful Spender left Australia to work as a pattern maker in the town of Marostica in northern Italy, and afterwards as a junior designer for Martine Sitborn in Paris. Upon her return, she was drawn once again to her mother’s brand, and came on board as a designer. Two years into the collaboration, ‘Bianca Spender for Carla Zampatti’ was born, giving Spender a unique platform from which to begin to define her own vision. The first ‘Bianca Spender for Carla Zampatti’ collection in 2008 used clean lines and bold silhouettes, punctuated with feminine flourishes like ruffles and prints, reflecting both mother and daughter’s design philosophy. Spender’s designs are known for the quiet approach and subtle details and from 2010 the brand was known as Bianca Spender. Spender often flies under the radar, leaving the spotlight for more showy Australian designers. But this is just what we love about her! It’s this easy-to-wear sensibility that makes both her evening and daywear designs equally desirable and luxurious.
Signature Look:
Known for drawing on the worlds of mathematics and science, Spender’s designs effortlessly combine intricate detailing with feminine silhouettes that project a powerfully feminine aesthetic. Her influences can be seen in the designers she admires, including Lanvin, Comme des Garcons, Marni and Dries Van Noten. Spender considers balance of paramount importance to the design process, citing art, history and music as frequent sources of inspiration. It is fair to say that a considered. Intellectual approach defines her approach to design. Another key factor: drapery. Many of Spender’s designs arise from the folds of a single piece of cloth. The Bianca Spender woman favours a thoughtful, clever approach, a philosophy of the designer herself. Her weekends are more likely spent swimming at a secluded Sydney pool with partner Sam McGuiness and son Dominic than out on the town. Clean lines, ingenious details, and drapery that is carefully controlled and tailored are synonymous with Spender’s designs, created for modern women such as herself to transition easily from a busy day to a glamorous night with elegance and ease.
The Fashion Designer Profile series is sponsored by Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy