Ten years of sass & bide
July 23rd 2009 13:49
What started off as two best friends with a unique vision and a passion for innovative clothing has become one of Australia's biggest fashion design success stories. Sarah-Jane Clarke (nicknamed 'Sass') and Heidi Middleton (you got it... 'Bide') launched their first collection in 1999 and, ten years on, have achieved international recognition and have a slew of high-profile devotees, including Mischa Barton, Kate Moss, Miranda Kerr and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Their style is distinct, fresh, young and modern, and is inspired by all the things that make life fun: "Travel, history, films, art, the family and friends who surround us... and each other," says Sarah-Jane. "We are inspired by obscure and beautiful things and like to design garments that have a contradictory yet confident and feminine aesthetic." Indeed, the majority of the Brisbane-born pair's designs are bold and quirky, with a definite emphasis on femininity, and an often brave use of colour.
The pair began with a focus on jeans, but before two years had passed, they were already designing full ready-to-wear collections. The defining moment in their careers came in 2004 when they were invited to show their designs at New York Fashion Week, and since then, everyone who was anyone wanted a part of the sass & bide juggernaut.
When Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker saw the denim jacket Sarah-Jane was wearing one day in New York, she had to have it: "it was a fortunate coincidence," says Clarke. "We were on our way to an appointment and walked past the set of Sex and the City where SJP was filming. She loved the jacket, asked us to her trailer for an appointment and then commissioned us to make a few one-off pieces for the show." Such publicity is absolutely priceless in the world of fashion, and propelled the sass & bide label even further into the international spotlight.
While the sass & bide journey has mostly been one of triumph and global achievement, this is not to say that the design duo have not experienced some tragedies along the way. Two years ago, Middleton was diagnosed with breast cancer, but while she fought the battle and won, her friend Kate Boyson - who was fighting a particularly aggressive type of sarcoma - did not. The Fall 2008 sass & bide collection 'Rainbows for Kate' was a tribute to Middleton's lost friend, who at 32 left behind a husband and two children.
"[Rainbows for Kate] is a tribute to her and what she meant to me and what our friendship meant to me,” said Middleton. “The collection really started with a beaded bracelet that I made and gave to Kate. Each coloured bead represented a different emotion. It’s really all about life, love. The strength that Kate showed and the courage."
“For me she is woven into every piece of that collection. And her spirit is, you know, is not forgotten and will never be forgotten.” The Rainbows for Kate collection was one of the most sought-after to date, with the usual edginess softened by a distinctly romantic style, and of course, lots and lots of colour.
In keeping with the tradition of doing their bit for charity, Sarah-Jane and Heidi have celebrated their ten-year anniversary with The Shine Collective project. They asked some of their most loyal celebrity followers - including Kate Moss, Barry Humphries, Powderfinger, Twiggy and Mischa Barton - to create artworks that represent what 'shine' means to them, then auctioned them off, with all proceeds going to children's charities. An innovative idea, but then, what else would you expect from this pair?
Ten years of fresh, fun and fabulous designs, from humble beginnings to international acclaim. Here's to the next ten!
The dynamic duo
Their style is distinct, fresh, young and modern, and is inspired by all the things that make life fun: "Travel, history, films, art, the family and friends who surround us... and each other," says Sarah-Jane. "We are inspired by obscure and beautiful things and like to design garments that have a contradictory yet confident and feminine aesthetic." Indeed, the majority of the Brisbane-born pair's designs are bold and quirky, with a definite emphasis on femininity, and an often brave use of colour.
sass & bide dress
Middleton plus models
It all started with the jeans...
The pair began with a focus on jeans, but before two years had passed, they were already designing full ready-to-wear collections. The defining moment in their careers came in 2004 when they were invited to show their designs at New York Fashion Week, and since then, everyone who was anyone wanted a part of the sass & bide juggernaut.
Sarah-Jane Clarke, Nicky Hilton and Heidi Middleton
With another Aussie success story, model Miranda Kerr
When Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker saw the denim jacket Sarah-Jane was wearing one day in New York, she had to have it: "it was a fortunate coincidence," says Clarke. "We were on our way to an appointment and walked past the set of Sex and the City where SJP was filming. She loved the jacket, asked us to her trailer for an appointment and then commissioned us to make a few one-off pieces for the show." Such publicity is absolutely priceless in the world of fashion, and propelled the sass & bide label even further into the international spotlight.
Funky and modern
Sexy and stylish
Weird and wonderful
While the sass & bide journey has mostly been one of triumph and global achievement, this is not to say that the design duo have not experienced some tragedies along the way. Two years ago, Middleton was diagnosed with breast cancer, but while she fought the battle and won, her friend Kate Boyson - who was fighting a particularly aggressive type of sarcoma - did not. The Fall 2008 sass & bide collection 'Rainbows for Kate' was a tribute to Middleton's lost friend, who at 32 left behind a husband and two children.
"[Rainbows for Kate] is a tribute to her and what she meant to me and what our friendship meant to me,” said Middleton. “The collection really started with a beaded bracelet that I made and gave to Kate. Each coloured bead represented a different emotion. It’s really all about life, love. The strength that Kate showed and the courage."
“For me she is woven into every piece of that collection. And her spirit is, you know, is not forgotten and will never be forgotten.” The Rainbows for Kate collection was one of the most sought-after to date, with the usual edginess softened by a distinctly romantic style, and of course, lots and lots of colour.
Rainbows for Kate designs
Sequins, crazy hats and colour
In keeping with the tradition of doing their bit for charity, Sarah-Jane and Heidi have celebrated their ten-year anniversary with The Shine Collective project. They asked some of their most loyal celebrity followers - including Kate Moss, Barry Humphries, Powderfinger, Twiggy and Mischa Barton - to create artworks that represent what 'shine' means to them, then auctioned them off, with all proceeds going to children's charities. An innovative idea, but then, what else would you expect from this pair?
Clarke and Middleton
Ten years of fresh, fun and fabulous designs, from humble beginnings to international acclaim. Here's to the next ten!
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