1. HarpersBAZAAR.com.au SHOP Bazaar 201443
CourtesyofSass&Bide
ew designer labels manage to blend, seem-
ingly effortlessly, their luxury signature
with high-street-style accessibility, but in
the case of sass & bide, it’s part of the brand
DNA. Blossoming into a global fashion
empire (there’s now a store in NewYork, and watch
this space for news of an outlet in the British capital),
theAussie label that started life as a range of reworked
denim and vintage pieces sold at London’s Portobello
Market continues to delight devotees with its unique
twist on glamour.This is a label designed to cover all
wardrobe bases:jeans and tees,beaded shoes,a knock-
out cuff, an embellished coat or sequin-encrusted
dress for that soiree.The range spans Ready to Wear,
Gallery (think red-carpet fabulous), Accoutrement,
Denim, knits, tees and lingerie collections, plus the
Made in Africa bags, crafted by skilled Kenyan arti-
sans using recycled materials in collaboration with
the UN International Trade Centre’s Ethical Fashion
Initiative, all sold in the 23 (and counting) standalone
boutiques and 21 Myer concession stores.
“Sass & bide is a way of being, undefined by age,
race or culture. We’ve never wanted to put the
sass & bide girl in a box,” says creative director
Heidi Middleton.“The collections draw on many in-
fluences as well as an energy or feeling”. The latest
“feeling”, unveiled at New York fashion week in
February, is Novateur, inspired by the work of
20th-century biologist and artist Ernst Haeckel.
Interpretations of the natural world are reflected
in the shapes, both structured and fluid, while
appealWith its New York opening and landmark sale to Myer, sass & bide
is upping the ante. But, as the design duo tells Natasha Silva-Jelly,
they’ll never compromise their inclusive vision
F
Opposite page: sass & bide
pre-fall 2014: “Kicky Saints”.
This page, from top: designers
Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi
Middleton; a pre-fall 2014 look.
sass

2. “Sass & bide is a way of
being, undefined by age,
race or culture. We’ve
never wanted to put the
sass & bide girl in a box.”
– Heidi Middleton
HarpersBAZAAR.com.au SHOP Bazaar 201444
sorayazaman;CourtesyofSass&Bide
Sass & bide pre-fall
2014 lookbook and
(inset) looks from
the S/S 2014 runway.
botanical-patterned embroidered pieces and plaids,
checks and stripes dominate. As for the colour pal-
ette, it’s a winning mix of french navy, antique gold
and earthy shades of brown.
The sass & bide design formula — or rather, anti-
formula — combined with the duo’s vision to create
a brand that speaks to all consumers, appears to be
working. In an era when many fashion labels are
struggling to stay solvent, sass & bide
has emerged as a lesson in what can be
achieved with an iron-clad signature
and the willingness to diversify.
“Sass & bide is a go-to label for my
clients as it offers that high-low mix,”
says Westfield personal shopper and
stylist Donny Galella. “Whether you’re
after a fabulous statement piece or a
more affordable basic tee,there is always
something special about it.”The acces-
sories, he says, “instantly give an outfit
wow-factor without costing the earth”.
In November last year, retailer Myer completed its
acquisition of 100 per cent of the business. It was a stra-
tegic move on the part of the designers that allows them
to retain creative control while their baby goes global.
The first US store opened in New York’s SoHo shop-
ping precinct (Isabel Marant is a neighbour) the same
month, with a second New Zealand boutique opening
in Auckland’s Britomart complex.According to sass
& bide executive chairman David Briskin, London
could be next; Myer, meanwhile, has confirmed the
rollout of nine more concession stores.
While the decision to sell the brand to a depart-
ment store caused a flap in some quarters locally, it
appears to be a case of win-win.“It’s less common in
Australia, but overseas many businesses follow the
same path, leaving the founders and crea-
tors to focus on what they do best, and
Myer have been very supportive of that,”
says Briskin. Says Myer’s group general
manager of women’s fashion, Nicole
Naccarella,“Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi
Middleton are highly respected designers
both in Australia and internationally, and
they have created a distinctive fashion brand
… one of the country’s most-loved labels
and one of our best-performing brands.”
The major benefactor in all this is surely
the customer. With the brand’s focus on
its burgeoning online business (sassandbide.com) and in-
ternational boutique openings, it’s easier than ever to
add a little sass to your life. For our money? We’d plump
for the “As It Comes” tailored jacket with razor-sharp
shoulders and embroidered sleeves ($650), a pair of the
cult skinny jeans ($230) and the “Another Day” floral
printed tank ($140).A steal.
“Whether you’re
after a fabulous
statement piece or
a more affordable
basic tee, there is
always something
special about it.”
Backstage at S/S 2014
(all images).