‘Carla had been frail for a long time’: Kerri-Anne Kennerley on about Carla Zampatti’s tragic death

Australian fashion icon Carla Zampatti will be commemorated in a state funeral on Thursday.

And in the lead-up to the sad event, her friend and neighbour Kerri-Anne Kennerley has revealed some heartbreaking details about her tragic death.

Speaking To The Daily Telegraph at the weekend, Kerri-Anne, 67, said: ‘Carla has [had] been quite frail for a long time, she was so tiny.’

‘I’m assuming when she fell she hit her head very badly and eventually that’s led to her demise,’ the TV host added.

She finished: ‘I think she cracked her head and neck, at the age and stage you just don’t recover.’ 

Last week, Kerri-Anne paid tribute to her ‘dear friend’ on social media. 

‘Carla was a brilliant designer, but more importantly a very kind and generous woman and dear friend,’ she wrote. 

‘As neighbours, we became closer thanks to her escape artist pup and have had many fond memories and fun times since. All my love, KAK,’ she added. 

Carla, 78, died on April 3, days after a fall at an outdoor opera performance.

The mother-of-three and grandmother of nine had spent a week in hospital after the accident.

Born in Italy in 1942, Zampatti migrated to Australia with her parents in 1950 at age nine, and set up her fashion famous label at 24.  

Her designs have been worn by some of Australia’s most influential women, including Princess Mary of Denmark, Australia’s first female prime minister Julia Gillard, Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman and Ms Berejiklian.

On Friday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Carla was a role model for generations as Australians. 

The trailblazing fashion designer will be farewelled at a state funeral at Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral next week.

The general public is welcome to join the 10.30am service, which will also be livestreamed, inside the Catholic cathedral on April 15.   

Carla was named Australian Designer of the Year in 1994, awarded the Australian Fashion Laureate in 2008 and a year later was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia, Australia’s highest civilian honour.